On February 19, the Hardee County Fair Association honored the late Diana Youmans, a former Mosaic employee and Hardee County advocate, with a ribbon cutting ceremony following the opening of the fair. Together, the fair and Mosaic proudly unveiled a sign dedicating the Breezeway of the Hardee County Fair in her honor. The Diana Youmans Breezeway recognizes Diana and her decades of commitment to Hardee County.
Diana Youmans moved to Hardee County in 1969 and began working as a biology teacher prior to her transition into the phosphate industry. She began her career working for legacy company IMC and continued working in public affairs at Mosaic until her retirement in 2017.
“She had the gift to work with people from multiple disciplines and values to accomplish many goals,” said colleague and friend Kenny Miller, General Manager of Four Corners Mine. “She leveraged that gift to support all things Hardee County, working tirelessly with multiple stakeholders on everything from Sparklettes, Hardee Education Foundation, youth sports and vocational agriculture.”
In 2019, the Hardee Athletics Foundation (HAF) honored Diana by inducting her into the HAF Hall of Fame for her unwavering dedication and commitment to the athletic community in Hardee County. She was a member of the Hardee County Education Foundation and through the foundation she supported science fair initiatives, STEM programs, and numerous other school-based programs. Diana was most known for her commitment to the 4-H and FFA programs. Her support was evident during the Hardee County Fair where she spent countless hours supporting the youth. She would roll up her sleeves for the Cloverleaf Foundation and always found something to do; often being the last person to leave the booth at night.
Former Public Affairs colleague Calli Ward, Co-Products Delivery & Development Lead reflects on Diana’s legacy:
“In her ‘retirement,’ she was active on the Hardee County Parks and Recreation Board, Hardee County Education Foundation, Cloverleaf Foundation and Hardee County Friends of the Parks. She also served in an advisory role for Mosaic’s Hardee County Community Investments. She wanted to give back to the county and I believe it is an important part of her legacy. She was wonderful at making everyone she came in contact with feel important and that what they said or what they were interested in really mattered – because it did to her. Her mission was to make a real difference with investments in this community, which she did for over 25 years.”
Mosaic and the Hardee County Fair Board takes immense pride in celebrating the person that Diana was and the legacy that she has left in Hardee County. The Diana Youmans Breezeway welcomes the community and visitors to the fairgrounds and allows her legacy to remain for generations to come.
To learn more about the work Mosaic is doing in Hardee County, visit our website here.
