The Members of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA) have named Jose Antonio Martinez of Divine Flavor as the 2020 Member of the Year. Martinez will be honored with the distinction at the FPAA’s Annual Meeting on Sept. 29, 2020.
Peers in the association note that Martinez is committed to industry improvement, and that he works tirelessly to implement innovations in inspections and warehouse management.
Indeed, Martinez sets an example for others in the industry, according to FPAA Chairman Scott Vandervoet. “He has been a great example of a member of the industry interacting with state government,” Vandervoet said.
Martinez, who is COO and General Manager of Divine Flavor, joined the company in 2014 and since then has made an impact by contributing toward shared solutions to industry challenges, including USDA quality inspections.
Earlier this year, when COVID was starting to impact Nogales, Martinez and Divine Flavor participated in an FPAA webinar, helping share lessons about how to stop the spread of the virus in the warehouse setting, and the community at large.
Since joining the board of Directors of FPAA in 2018, Martinez has participated in all the association’s Mexico City trips, bringing great insights to meeting with the Mexican government. Martinez’ background in this area is a great asset. Earlier in his career, he was Assistant Chief of Staff to Sonora Governor Eduardo Bours.
“It’s really great to have Jose on the Board,” said FPAA President Lance Jungmeyer. “The mixture of his experience and his passion is palpable. He brings great energy to solving problems that impact all fresh produce distributors.”
Martinez earned a Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University in New York, and a Bachelors of Business Administration from Instituto Tecnologico de Monterey, where he focused on International Business.
The FPAA’s annual meeting, which is open to members only, is Sept. 29 at 10 am. It is being held virtually.
About the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Founded in 1944, the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA) is a nonprofit trade association headquartered in Nogales, Arizona, that represents over 120 U.S. member companies involved in importing and marketing fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Mexico and distributed across North America and the world.
