April 19, 2012

United Fresh announces nominations for new board officers & directors

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman of the Board Development Committee Steffanie Smith, River Point Farms, has announced the slate of new officers and directors nominated to serve on the United Fresh Produce Association Board of Directors, effective at its April 30, 2012 meeting in Dallas.

Ascending to Chairman of the Board is David W. Krause, president, Paramount Citrus, Delano, Calif. Krause has lived in the Central Valley of California and worked in agriculture his whole life. He joined Paramount Citrus in 1999 as COO, and was named president in 2001.

Krause has served in numerous industry roles, including the California Citrus Growers Association, California Citrus Mutual and the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation. He has an A.S. degree in plant science from Reedley College in California.

Nominated as Chairman-Elect is Ron Midyett, CEO of Apio Inc. Midyett currently serves as secretary-treasurer of the board. Prior to joining Apio in 2005, he held the position of senior vice president of operations at Dole Fresh Vegetables. Midyett has a degree in food biochemistry from the University of California at Davis and is an alumnus of Class 6 of the United Fresh Produce Industry Leadership Program.

Current chair, Reggie Griffin, retired corporate vice president, produce & floral merchandising & procurement, The Kroger Company, will move to the position of immediate past chairman and remain on the board and the executive committee.

The following industry leaders have been nominated to serve as new members of the United Fresh Board for a two-year term beginning April 2012:

  • Bill Brooks, owner/partner, Westlake Produce Company, Los Angeles, Calif., and a third-generation potato salesman from Idaho.
  • Jim Catchot, president and CEO, Renaissance Food Group, LLC, Rancho Cordova, Calif., who has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the produce and fresh food industry.
  • Greg Corrigan, senior director of produce and floral for Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, Sacramento, Calif., who began his career in the grocery industry in 1984 working for Bel Air Markets as he attended Sacramento State University.
  • Tom Deardorff II, president and co-owner, Deardorff Family Farms, Oxnard, Calif., is nominated to serve as vice chairman of the Grower-Shipper Board. Deardorff Family Farms was launched by Tom’s great grandfather W.H. Deardorff in 1937 and today is a fully integrated farming, packing, re-packing, shipping and marketing operation owned and operated by the family’s fourth generation.
  • Aaron Fox, vice president – sales and administrative Issues, Fox Packaging, McAllen, Texas.
  • Cindy Jewell, director of marketing, California Giant Berry Farms, Watsonville, Calif., is responsible for developing and executing all marketing and communications programs for California Giant, including its social media platform to engage co-partners in delivering health and fitness messaging and increasing visibility for the brand with consumers.
  • Kenny Lund, vice president – support operations, Allen Lund Company, La Cañada, Canada, is nominated to serve as chairman of the Supply Chain Logistics Council.
  • Lisa McNeece, vice president of foodservice and industrial sales, Grimmway Enterprises Inc., Bakersfield, Calif., who joined Grimmway in 1991 to coordinate sales and promotion of a “new” product – peeled baby carrots.
  • Kevin Moffitt, president/CEO, Pear Bureau Northwest, Portland, Ore., who is responsible for strategic direction, advertising and market promotion, reporting and regulatory functions for this non-profit trade association representing 1,500 growers. He is also managing director of the federal marketing order for fresh pears in Oregon and Washington.
  • Bob Morrissey, executive director, National Watermelon Association, Lakeland, Fla., is a 1980 graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI.
  • Sean Picquelle, produce manager, Taco Bell, Irvine, Calif., who is nominated to serve as vice chairman of the Retail-Foodservice Board.
  • Rob Schrick, strategic business management lead for Horticulture, Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, N.C.
  • Lisa Strube, director of finance and administration, Strube Celery & Vegetable Co., Chicago, Ill., who is nominated to serve as vice chair of the Wholesaler-Distributor Board.
  • Mike Wootton, senior vice president, corporate relations & administration, Sunkist Growers, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Current Board members nominated to new positions of service on Market Segment Boards and Councils include:

  • Chairman, Grower Shipper Board -Will Steele, Frontera Produce
  • Chairman, Wholesaler Distributor Board – Ron Carkoski, Four Seasons Produce, Inc.
  • Chairman, Retail-Foodservice Board – Randy Scott, Delhaize America

The following officers of Market Segment Boards and Councils will continue service on the Board:

  • Chairman, Fresh-Cut Processor Board – Jan Berk, San Miguel Produce, Inc.
  • Vice Chairman, Fresh-Cut Processor Board – Tony Freytag, Crunch Pak Sliced Apples
  • Chairman, Global Advisory Council – Paddy Callaghan, Nature’s Best Ltd.
  • Chairman, Nutrition & Health Council – Dan’l Mackey Almy, DMA Solutions, Inc.
  • Chairman, Food Safety & Technology Council – Walter Ram, The Giumarra Companies
  • Chairman, Government Relations Council – Barry Bedwell, California Grape & Tree Fruit League

The following current At-Large Board Members will continue service on the Board: Steve Burnham, Safeway, Inc.; John Chrosniak, DuPont Crop Protection; Scott Danner, Liberty Fruit Co., Inc.; Emily Fragoso, Status Gro; David Hille, Cabbage Inc.; Ana Hooper, Darden Restaurants; Joe Huston, Chiquita Brands International, Inc.; John Keeling, National Potato Council; Lorri Koster, Mann Packing Company; Angela Nardone, N2N Global; Roger Pepperl, Stemilt Growers, LLC; Dave Russell, Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A.; Ivan Tarriba, Farmers Best International, LLC; Greg Wohlleb, Bunzl Distribution, Inc.; and Jackson Woodward, Horton Fruit Company.

Board members concluding service at the April 30 meeting include: Steffanie Smith, River Point Farms LLC; Brendan Comito, Capital City Fruit Company; Mitch Smith, McDonald’s; Fred Williamson, Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce; Dave Dever, Sun World International; Mike Celani, Ready Pac Foods, Inc.; Tony DiMare, DiMare Company; and Roger Harkrider, H-E-B.

 





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