If you were to meet David Stelzer at the farm, see him at the warehouse, or even sit next to him on a plane, you’d find him to have the gentle demeanor of a persevering farmer… a farmer with plenty of patience for seeing the soil and plants improve over the seasons, yet the drive to dig in right now and make good things happen.
With a Passion
One attribute that sets David apart from many others is his willingness to do hard things. The saying, “When there’s a will, there’s a way” easily applies to David, since he has a knack for finding unique solutions to problems, then earnestly working to make it happen, even when it’s not easy. This has helped him earn the respect and admiration of his family, the Azure team, and so many others. But, his driving desire for action comes from something deeper than just making a living. His motivation comes from a personal passion to share healthful living with others since he himself suffered ill health as a child.
David in 8th Grade
Yes, when David was a toddler, doctors told his parents he was unlikely to live very long since his asthmatic symptoms were so severe and they were unable to help. His first memory as a child was of lying on the couch wheezing and struggling for breath.
At about the same time, his grandfather was struggling with high blood pressure to the point where he had to quit farming. But, by God’s grace, David’s parents learned about a whole-foods diet and made major changes in what the entire family was eating. Both David and his grandfather got well. This was an amazing miracle and inspired the Stelzer family to begin farming organically, do everything they could to live and farm according to our Creator’s plan, and share the goodness with others.
Through this experience, it was discovered that David was allergic to the casein portion of milk and was also intolerant of refined sugar. In order to be well, he had to strictly avoid dairy and sugar. This could be tough for a school-age boy, but he learned early on that his health and happiness was directly affected by the foods he ate. This all led to his passion for helping others learn about healthful eating and have access to the best foods available.
Unintentional New Business
David helping plant starts with 4 of his children (Zechariah, Zephaniah, Rachel, and Bethany).
In a sense, Azure Standard started by accident. David didn’t plan to become the CEO of the largest independent health food distributor in the nation. No, each day’s challenges lead to the next day’s solutions, and Azure was the result.
On a family farm, home life is integrated with farm life. And as David sought places to sell what grew on the farm, farm life became integrated with the distribution of the farm products. So, even today, farming and Azure are all “David’s life”, without a clear line between work-time, hobby-time, and family-time. Like the saying goes, “Do something you love and you never have to work a day in your life.”
As CEO, however, he does get stuck in the office, but even that can be enjoyable when he’s making plans with the team, or working out a good deal with a supplier. For David, a deal isn’t a good deal unless it is a win-win for both parties. He often thinks of solutions and opportunities that are outside-the-box. But, he also takes time to listen and consider the ideas of others, believing that collaboration often brings out the best ideas.
But, ideas just remain ideas until they are put into action. Once David makes the decision to “pull the trigger”, everyone jumps into gear to get the new project done quickly and efficiently.
Confidence Grows
Although David is not verbose or flamboyant, he does enjoy good conversation. He enjoys hearing other people’s stories and sharing his own knowledge. This soft style is what you’ll see in David’s videos and hear in his podcasts. As a very introverted youngster, David didn’t use the telephone until he was a teenager. Yet, when he was 21 years old, in the year before Azure Standard officially got its name, he used the phone extensively. He would be making deliveries to friends and family, stop in a city, grab a phone book at a payphone and call all of the health food stores and co-ops listed and say, “Hey, I’m in town, can I stop by and talk to you about buying some bulk foods?” They’d usually agree. He’d take along some carob candy samples made by his sister, and gain a new customer. Nowadays, this is called being a “salesman” and doing “cold calls”. But, to David he was just doing what needed to be done to survive.
Family Time
David and his family on vacation in Hawaii in 2018.
David’s father and grandfather both farmed the land in Dufur and now the next generation is involved in farming the land as well. Having raised 11 children on the farm with his wife Kimberly, he’s able to share the joys, sorrows, and unique life experiences of not only the children who still live under his roof, but also of his grown children and now his grandchildren.
David feels he is truly in a position to make a huge difference in the world. Now, more than ever, people need to know that better nutrition can improve their lives and the lives of those around them. If people were better nourished, healthcare (or should we say sick-care) costs would be diminished, crime and domestic violence would likely be curbed, and more people could enjoy a truly abundant life. Azure provides a way for people to have access to that good food at affordable prices.