LOS ALAMITOS, CA – Frieda’s Specialty Produce President and CEO Karen Caplan joined a panel of 21 other business leaders to judge the Global Youth Business Plan Competition, held by the Academy of Business Leadership (ABL) at the University of Southern California (USC) in early August.
The Global Youth Business Plan Competition is one of the featured events of the ABL Summer Business & Leadership Institute (SBLI) program. Students work in teams for 5 weeks to develop full-length business plans under advisement of university professors and their full-time MBA instructors.
Caplan, along with 21 other senior executives from venture capitalist companies, fashion designers, movie producers, universities and banks, listened to business idea presentations by three group finalists.
“Having business leaders judge this competition means a lot to our students,” said Anna Ouroumian, President & CEO of ABL. “I am grateful that industry leaders like Karen take the time to support our program and help guide, motivate, and inspire these young entrepreneurs.”
“I am blown away by their business acumen and dedication to their projects,” said Caplan. “It always amazes me how creative and fearless these students can be with their ideas. Supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs is a priority for Frieda’s as a company. We are committed to advance young, future agriculture business leaders in many ways, such as through the Frieda Rapoport Caplan Family Business Scholarship program (through United Fresh Produce Association) and our internship program with EARTH University in Costa Rica.”
This year’s ABL scholars were 11-18 years old, from 53 elementary, middle, and high schools primarily in Southern California, and countries as far away as such as Turkey and China. Most of these scholars are facing major economic adversity at home, yet they have committed to investing in their own futures to help break their families’ cycle of poverty.
ABL is a non-profit organization that provides business and leadership education to thousands of high-potential, low-opportunity students throughout Southern California.
About Frieda’s Inc.
Frieda’s Inc. celebrates more than 50 years of innovation in fresh produce. Founded in 1962 by Frieda Caplan, Frieda's was the first wholesale produce company in the U.S. to be founded, owned and operated by a woman, and is still a family- and women-owned business today. With the mission of changing the way America eats fruits and vegetables, Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 specialty items to U.S. produce departments, including Kiwifruit, Spaghetti Squash, Habanero Peppers, Black Garlic and many more. Frieda’s officially declared 2013 as The Year of Purple. Find Frieda’s on Facebook, @FriedasProduce and www.friedas.com.
Source: Frieda’s Inc.
