First Day At PMA's 2014 Fresh Summit Was Action Packed

Anaheim, Calif. — News from the first day of Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) 2014 Fresh Summit International Convention and Exposition included election of the 2014-2015 boards for PMA and the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent, presentation of this year’s Robert L. Carey Leadership Award to Dick Spezzano, president of California-based Spezzano Consulting, and announcement of the five Impact Award: Excellence in Packaging winners. Additionally, PMA announced the selection of Hunt Shipman and The Cornerstone Group to represent PMA’s members on global industry issues leadership.

Elected to chair PMA’s Board of Directors is Kevin Fiori, vice president of sales and marketing for Sunkist Growers, Valencia, California. Five other officers and 29 directors join him.

Also elected as officers to the 2014-2015 PMA board are:

• Immediate Past Chairman Tim Riley, president, The Giumarra Companies, Los Angeles, California
• Chairman-Elect Russ Mounce, senior director of produce and floral, Sam’s Wholesale Club, Bentonville, Arkansas
• Secretary/Treasurer Drew Yurko, chief financial officer, FreshPoint, Inc., Houston, Texas
• Vice Chairman John Oxford, president and CEO, L&M, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Vice Chairman Alex Leach, president, Taylor Farms, Salinas, California

Together with PMA CEO Bryan Silbermann, PMA President Cathy Burns, and PMA Foundation for Industry Talent Board of Directors Chairman Dick Spezzano, the officers comprise PMA’s Executive Committee.

The remaining 2014-2015 directors of the association are:

• Miguel Allamand, president, Exportadora Subsole, SA; Santiago, Chile
• John Anderson, chairman, president and CEO, The Oppenheimer Group, British Columbia, Canada
• Vernon Crowder, senior vice president, senior analyst, Rabobank Group, Fresno, California
• Jeff Dunn, president and CEO, Bolthouse Farms, Bakersfield, California
• Jose Antonio Gomez, chief commercial officer, Camposol SA, Lima, Peru
• Elliott Grant, founder and chief marketing officer, HarvestMark, Redwood City, California
• Ana Hooper, vice president total quality, Darden, Orlando, Florida
• Craig Ignatz, vice president of produce and floral merchandising, Giant Eagle, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Derrick Jenkins, vice president of produce and floral division, Wakefern Food Corporation, Elizabeth, New Jersey
• Paul Kneeland, vice president of produce, floral, seafood and meat,  Kings Food Markets, Parsippany, New Jersey
• Ziggy Kwarcinski, general manager core fresh, Woolworths Supermarkets, Bella Vista, Australia
• David Lake, CEO, 4Earth Farms, Commerce, California
• Cathy Leffingwell, director, produce, Brinker International, Dallas, Texas
• Joe Loiacano, senior manager of fresh produce and frozen foods, Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op, Dublin, Ohio
• Irenke Meekma, managing director, Bakker Barendrecht BV, Ridderkerk, Netherlands
• Leonardo Miyao, perishables commercial director, Grupo Pão de Açucar, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Don Murphy, director of produce and floral, Grocery Outlet, Emeryville, California
• Howard Nager, vice president of marketing, Domex Superfresh Growers, Yakima, Washington
• Steve Patricio, president and CEO, Westside Produce, Firebaugh, California
• Jim Sarcletti, director of produce and floral, SuperValu, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Oleen Smethurst, assistant general merchandise manager, Costco Wholesale Canada, Ottawa, Canada
• Miguel Usabiaga, vice president, Empacadora GAB Inc., Hidalgo, Texas
• Johan van Deventer, managing director, Freshmark (Pty), Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa
• Robert Verloop, executive vice president of marketing, Naturipe Farms LLC, Salinas, California
• Thomas Wheeler, director of produce operations, Mollie Stone’s Markets, Mill Valley, California
• Jin Ju Wilder, director of corporate strategy, Valley Fruit & Produce, Los Angeles, California
• Max Yeater, president, Pro*Act LLC, Monterey, California
• ex officio Dick Spezzano, Chairman, PMA Foundation for Industry Talent, president, Spezzano Consulting Service, Monrovia, California
• ex officio John Said, Chairman, PMA Australia-New Zealand, CEO, Fresh Select, Victoria, Australia

Retiring from the board are:

• Mark Allison, senior manager, produce procurement, The Cheesecake Factory Inc., Calabasas Hills, California
• Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing, California Avocado Commission, Irvine, California
• Ge Happe, sourcing director, Ahold, Zaandam, North Holland
• Dan Johnson, corporate director produce and floral merchandising, The Kroger Co., Cincinnati, Ohio
• Rob Ondrus, director category management/produce, Reinhart Foodservice, Rosemont, Illinois
• David Parsley, senior vice president supply chain management, Brinker International Inc., Dallas, Texas
• Victor Smith, CEO, Fresh Innovations LLC, Yuma, Arizona
• Craig Stephen, chief strategy officer, N2N Global, Longwood, Florida
• Maureen Torrey-Marshall, vice president, Torrey Farms Inc., Elba, New York

2014-2015 PMA Foundation for Industry Talent board announced             

Elected to chair PMA Foundation for Industry Talent’s Board of Directors is Dick Spezzano, president of Spezzano Consulting Service, Monrovia, California. Three other officers and 19 directors join him.                                                                                                

Also elected as officers to the 2014-2015 PMA Foundation board are:

• Immediate Past Chair Jim Leimkuhler, president, Progressive Produce, Los Angeles, California
• Chair Elect Leonard Batti, president, Taylor Farms Florida, Orlando, Florida
• Secretary/Treasurer Drew Yurko, CFO, FreshPoint, Houston, Texas

They join Margi Prueitt, PMA senior vice president and PMA Foundation executive director.                                          

At-large members of the PMA Foundation 2014-2015 board are:                       

• Aribel Beck, CFO/VP finance and administration, Naturipe Farms LLC, Estero, Florida
• Chris Cervini, president, Lakeside Produce Co., Leamington, Ontario, Canada
• Marty Craner, president, B&C Fresh Sales, Orange, California
• Matt Curry, president, Curry & Co., Brooks, Oregon
• Tony D’Amico, president, To-Jo Mushrooms, Avondale, Pennsylvania
• Gabriel Fonzo, CEO, Integrity, SA, Santiago, Chile
• Mikel Hancock, senior director of produce and floral, Walmart, Bentonville, Arkansas
• Kelly Jacob, vice president of retail, Pro Act, LLC, Houston, Texas
• Melany Jolly, executive vice president, TBD
• Tim Knoerzer, vice president, human resources global supply, Monsanto, St. Louis, Missouri
• Jill Overdorf, director of business and culinary development/corporate chef, Coosemans Shipping of LA, Los Angeles, California
• Doug Ranno, president and CEO, Musical Harvest, Salinas, California
• Dave Rhodes, director of produce, Marsh Supermarkets, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Jim Richter, CEO, Wilcox Fresh, Overland Park, Kansas
• Kent Shoemaker, CEO, Lipman, Immokalee, Florida
• Bryan Silbermann, CEO, PMA, Newark, Delaware
• Marc Solomon, senior vice president of procurement, Capespan, North America, Gloucester City, New Jersey
• Jorge Suarez, director of strategic planning and human resources, Ocean Mist Farms, Castroville, California
• Larry Zink, industry relations & outreach coordinator, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

 

Spezzano named 2014 Robert L. Carey Leadership Award winner

Dick Spezzano, president of Spezzano Consulting, received the 2014 Robert L. Carey Leadership Award during Friday’s general session. From the many nominations, a team of four past PMA chairmen selected Spezzano in recognition of his outstanding leadership and an uncommon commitment to PMA and the produce industry.

“This is a man who epitomizes what it means to give back to the industry in which he’s worked for over 50 years,” said last year’s winner Jay Pack, while presenting the award to Spezzano. “He believes in reaching out to youth – to build healthy eating habits early and to attract the best and the brightest young talent.  Together with his wife Carole, he’s also set the bar by making a legacy gift to the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent.  Talk about the power of commitment.”

"This award is very special to me as I was on the PMA Board of Directors for ten years while Bob was the association leader,” said Spezzano. “Under Bob's leadership, I learned many things and especially the art of giving back to an industry that has been good to me."

 

Five companies honored for packaging contributions

More than 75 submissions from 56 companies vied for five 2014 PMA Impact Awards: Excellence in Packaging. A panel of judges looked for products that lead as examples in produce and floral packaging, demonstrating originality with emphasis on connecting with consumers, safeguarding the product inside, sustaining the environment and improving supply chain efficiencies. Judges scored each entry in five areas: marketing, food safety, supply chain efficiency, sustainability excellence and consumer convenience excellence.

Winners of the 2014 Impact Award announced at the Friday general session were:

• CMI Columbia Marketing International: “GO GO” Fresh Cherry Package
• Earthbound Farm:  PowerMeal Bowls
• Fresh Solutions Network:  Side Delights® Gourmet Petites
• Mucci Farms:  The New Pint
• Wholly Guacamole:  Wholly Guacamole® Grab N Guac™ Box                                                               

Focus on inspiring kids to eat healthier

Students from the Walker Junior High School in La Palma, California, participated in the 4th annual Sensory Experience Contest alongside Chef Mickey on Friday, October 17, where they put 10 kid-friendly recipes to the test for flavor, aroma and presentation, among other criteria. Two recipes were chosen as winners by the buyers and students, respectively:

• Buyers’ Choice: Wholesum Family Farms: WHOLESUM HARVEST® Eggplant Vegetable Balls with  Roma Tomato Sauce
• Kids’ Choice: Wish Farms: Wish Farms Strawberry Blueberry Hazelnut Chocolate Flatbread

Marketing to children remained a focus of attention throughout the weekend and was a topic of discussion at the annual State of the Industry address delivered by PMA CEO Silbermann and PMA President Cathy Burns. The Innovations @ Work area also hosted a collection of product designed for children via the popular New Products Showcase special Just 4 Kids section.

 

Let’s Move! Executive Director Sam Kass joins ‘eat brighter!’ discussion

Sam Kass, executive director of Let’s Move! and senior policy advisor for nutrition, joined a group of industry marketers on Friday afternoon for an ‘eat brighter!’ town hall. The town hall was moderated by Todd Putman, chief commercial officer of Bolthouse Farms and featured Derrick Jenkins, vice president of produce and floral, Wakefern; Robert Verloop, executive vice president of marketing, Naturipe; and Donna Bogia, director of information and customer service, PMA.

Currently, more than 40 retailers representing more than 30,000 stores across the U.S. and Canada are supporting the ‘eat brighter!’ movement. Many of the suppliers showcased their ‘eat brighter!’ products at the town hall. For photos of the showcase, click here. 

 

FDA’s Mike Taylor addresses FSMA proposals

In response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent release of four supplemental proposals under the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act on produce safety, preventive controls for human food, foreign supplier verification programs and preventive controls for animal feed, PMA partnered with FDA to bring Deputy Commissioner of U.S. Foods Mike Taylor and Dr. Samir Assar, director of produce safety, to address the recent proposals with industry. Taylor and Assar were joined by panelists Walter Ram, vice president of food safety of The Giumarra Companies; Courtney Parker, vice president of salad quality and global food safety of Chiquita Fresh Express and Mike Villaneva, technical director for California Leafy Green Marketing Agreement.

PMA will host a webinar to discuss the supplements on Monday, November 3 at 12:30pm EDT/9:30am PT. This webinar is your opportunity to hear directly from FDA, ask questions and learn how you can positively affect change regarding these important FSMA rule proposals to assure that when these regulations are finalized and implemented they will best serve public health and food safety needs. FDA requests comments on the proposed approach and provisions by December 15, 2014. Register for the webinar here.

 

Hunt Shipman and Cornerstone Group announced as PMA’s representative

During the annual State of the Industry Address at Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit in Anaheim, California, the association’s President Cathy Burns announced that Cornerstone Government Affairs, a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs firm, with the leadership of Hunt Shipman, will represent the association’s members on global industry issues. As a result of PMA’s new strategic plan announced late last year, the association is strengthening and restructuring its approach to addressing those issues that are most critical to the global produce industry like food safety, trade and consumption. This new focus, termed Issues Leadership, encompasses elements of government relations, public affairs and public relations to provide the industry with a solutions-based approach to shaping issues. Shipman and his team will provide critical expertise and communications approaches to bring value to PMA members.

 

About Produce Marketing Association (PMA)

Produce Marketing Association is the leading trade association representing companies from every segment of the global produce and floral supply chain. PMA helps members grow by providing connections that expand business opportunities and increase sales and consumption. For more information, visit www.pma.com.

About Cornerstone Government Affairs, LLC

Cornerstone Government Affairs, LLC is a full service, bipartisan public affairs firm with offices in Washington, D.C., Austin, TX, Baton Rouge, LA, Chicago, IL, Des Moines, IA, Houston, TX, Jackson, MS, and Richmond, VA. Cornerstone represents a broad and diverse group of clients and maintains expertise in a wide range of issue areas, including agriculture, defense, education, energy, health, homeland security, international affairs, tax policy, technology and telecommunications, and transportation and infrastructure. For more information, please visit Cornerstone’s website at www.cgagroup.com.

Source: Produce Marketing Association (PMA)