United Fresh to honor Carkoski’s industry achievements

United Fresh Produce Association will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to Ron Carkoski, chief executive officer, Four Seasons Family of Companies. The award will be presented at Fresh Start 2019, the United Fresh Start Foundation’s annual conference, golf tournament and Gala Dinner Jan. 15, at the La Quinta Resort & Club, La Quinta, California.

“As Ron plans his retirement after nearly three decades of service to the fresh produce industry, I can’t think of a more deserving individual to recognize with the Lifetime Achievement Award,” said United Fresh President & CEO Tom Stenzel. “I know that communities throughout the produce supply chain will want to join in honoring a friend who has touched so many across our industry.”

Past recipients include Hugh Topper, Bruce McEvoy, Rick and Tonya Antle, Mike Cavallero, Joe Procacci, Reggie Griffin, Frieda Caplan and Bob Grimm (posthumously).

The Four Seasons Family of Companies includes Four Seasons Produce, Earth Source Trading, Sunrise Logistics, and Sunrise Transport. Carkoski’s leadership is known to follow “The Golden Rule” which is epitomized by the mission of Four Seasons Produce: “Growing Ideas – Producing Excellence,” United Fresh said in a statement.

Throughout his career, Carkoski has been active in the industry serving as chairman of the United Fresh board of directors, and chairman of its wholesale-distributor board. In his community, he has served on the board of directors of the Delaware Valley Floral Group and chairman of the Delaware Valley Floral Group’s Talent and Human Resources Committee. Most recently, he was elected to the Peninsula Music Festival Foundation board of trustees and is a member of the Make-A-Wish of Philadelphia and Susquehanna Valley board of directors.

Carkoski received the Corporate Citizenship Award presented by the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal.

After living in Pennsylvania for the past 24 years, he and his wife Patricia have recently relocated to their new home in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin.

FreshStart 2019, Jan. 15-17, continues to grow as the annual event of the United Fresh Start Foundation. The conference brings together attendees from across the industry to work together to increase children’s access to fresh produce. The event features a conference program focused on connecting produce companies, retailers and foodservice companies to growth opportunities serving our next generation of consumers, as well as the Foundation’s annual fundraising golf tournament and the second annual Bids for Kids silent and live auction. In addition, all of United Fresh’s volunteer leadership boards, councils and committees will meet during the event.

Learn more about the event and register on the Fresh Start website.