United Fresh announces slate of board, officer nominees
United Fresh has announced new officers and directors nominated to serve on the United Fresh Produce Association Board of Directors.
The new chairman will be Ron Midyett, CEO of Apio. The chairman-elect is Ron Carkoski, president and CEO of Four Seasons Family of Companies. Lorri Koster, chairman and CEO of Mann Packing, is the nominee to be secretary-treasurer. Current board chairman David W. Krause, president of Paramount Citrus, will move to the position of immediate past chairman and will remain on the board and executive committee
Eight industry leaders have been nominated to serve as new members of the board for a two-year term beginning in May. They are:
- William L. (Bill) Brim, president of Lewis Taylor Farms
- Bob Elliott, director of food safety, Sunkist Growers
- Fred Heptinstall, president and general manager of IFCO Systems RPC management services division
- Robert (Bob) Kirch, president and CEO of Caito Foods Service
- Joe Klare, executive vice president of Castellini Company
- Gordon Robertson, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Sun World International
- Michael Spinazzola, president of Diversified Restaurant Systems
- Bob Swartwout, vice president of sales for R. S. Hanline
Five current board members were nominated to become chairman of market segment boards and councils. They are:
- Fresh-Cut Processor Board, Tony Freytag, Crunch Pak Sliced Apples
- Finance and Business Management Council, Scott Danner, Liberty Fruit
- Government Relations Council, John Keeling, National Potato Council
- Produce Marketing and Merchandising Council, Roger Pepperl, Stemilt Growers
- Wholesaler Distributor Board, Lisa Strube, Strube Celery & Vegetable
The following officers of market segment boards and councils will continue their service on the board:
- Chairman, Grower-Shipper Board, Will Steele, Frontera Produce
- Vice Chairman, Grower-Shipper Board, Tom Deardorff, Deardorff Family Farms
- Chairman, Retail-Foodservice Board, Randy Scott, Delhaize America
- Vice Chairman, Retail-Foodservice Board, Sean Picquelle, Taco Bell
- Chairman, Global Advisory Council, Paddy Callaghan, Nature’s Best
- Chairman, Nutrition & Health Council, Dan’l Mackey Almy, DMA Solutions
- Chairman, Supply Chain Logistics Council, Kenny Lund, Allen Lund Company
- Chairman, United Fresh Foundation, Steve Grinstead, Grinstead Enterprises
The following current at-large board members will continue their service on the board: Bill Brooks, Westlake Produce Company; Steve Burnham, Safeway; Jim Catchot, Renaissance Food Group; Greg Corrigan, Raley's Family of Fine Stores; Aaron Fox, Fox Packaging; Emily Fragoso, Status Gro; David Hille, Cabbage, Inc.; Cindy Jewell, California Giant Berry Farms; Deverl Maserang, Chiquita Brands International; Lisa McNeece, Grimmway Enterprises; Kevin Moffitt, Pear Bureau Northwest; Bob Morrissey, National Watermelon Association; Angela Nardone, N2N Global; Dave Russell, Del Monte Fresh Produce; Rob Schrick, Bayer CropScience; Ivan Tarriba, Farmer's Best International; Greg Wohlleb, Bunzl; Mike Wootton, Sunkist Growers.
Board members concluding service at the May 14 meeting include: Reggie Griffin, Reggie Griffin Strategies, who served as chairman of the board in 2011-2012, and this past year as immediate past chairman; Barry Bedwell, California Grape & Tree Fruit League, who served as chairman of the Government Relations Council; Jan Berk, San Miguel Produce, who served as the chairman of the Fresh-Cut Processor Board; John Chrosniak, DuPont Crop Protection; Ana Hooper, Darden; Walter Ram, The Giumarra Companies, who served as the chairman of the Food Safety & Technology Council; and Jackson Woodward, Horton Fruit Company.
