United Fresh board to remain in place until merger with PMA
With the recent decision of the board of directors and endorsement of the membership to combine with the Produce Marketing Association to form a new association in 2022, the current United Fresh board of directors, market segment boards and expert advisory councils will remain in place and continue to guide the association through 2021.
In addition, the current Chairman-Elect Danny Dumas, President of Courchesne Larose USA, will become chairman of the board effective June 1. He will take the reins from Michael Muzyk, President of Baldor Specialty Foods, who led the association through the pandemic year since March 2020.
Dumas was born and raised in Canada where he studied in both English and French. He started his career in produce at Dole Fresh Fruit Company where he held various positions. In 1998, Danny joined Del Monte Fresh Produce to manage its first and only Canadian office as District Sales Manager. He held various positions with Del Monte Fresh including Vice President of Operations for Europe and Africa at its European offices in Monte Carlo, Monaco. In 2014, he returned to Florida as VP of Sales and Product Management and became Senior Vice President N.A. Sales & Product Management in 2019. He joined Courchesne Larose USA in 2021.
“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to help lead such a wonderful Association,” Muzyk said through a press release. “It is with great pleasure, honor and respect that I pass the baton to my dear friend and colleague, Danny Dumas. Danny has been an unwavering support this past year. I also want to thank Tom for his dedication to our members. Leadership is a capacity which translates vision into reality; and Tom certainly possesses leadership characteristics.”
“I am honored to assume the role of chairman of United Fresh and also very excited to work alongside United’s Board of Directors, loyal members and staff,” said Dumas. “I wish to congratulate and thank my dear friend Michael Muzyk, for his dedication and leadership with our association in what was, and continues, to be a challenging period. Despite working through a crisis and reinventing his business, Michael has led our association with passion and was one of the architects that helped set the foundation for the new association. We are grateful to Michael for his involvement.
“As we begin to look back on this extraordinary pandemic year, and look forward to great things to come for our association and our industry, I am particularly grateful to all of the Board and Council leaders who have guided United Fresh this year,” said United Fresh President & CEO Tom Stenzel. “I appreciate their willingness to continue service through 2021 extending some of their volunteer time commitments, and to their active support for our new association in 2022.”
Founded in 1904, the United Fresh Produce Association brings together companies across every segment of the fresh produce supply chain, including growers, shippers, fresh cut processors, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, foodservice operators, industry suppliers and allied associations.
