KANSAS CITY, Mo. — FreshXperts, a leading consulting group for the fresh industry, today announced that it has appointed PJ Petrillo as administrator/general manager of the organization. She will be responsible for strategic planning and day-to-day operations, including development of business plans, collaborating with the board of directors, and oversight of all staff and committees.
“FreshXperts has experienced significant and consistent growth since its inception. We are moving forward as the industry’s premier produce consultancy, and we want to ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to support our sustained growth,” said Ron Pelger, chairman, FreshXperts.
“PJ will design and implement strategies to provide that infrastructure and help our organization function in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner. Additionally, she will work with our staff and committee members to make sure that, as we grow, we continue to provide our clients with a superior level of personalized service and attention to detail,” he continued.
Petrillo, whose family has owned and operated a family farm in Jackson County, Missouri for generations, is no stranger to the produce industry.
Furthermore, she previously worked in crisis management, education and law enforcement for the Blue Springs School District and the Blue Springs Police Department in Missouri, in a career spanning 35 years. During that time, she held several different positions including: Executive Director of Emergency Services; Director of Public Safety; Director of the Juvenile Unit for the Blue Springs Police Department; District Coordinator and Administrator; and Elementary, Middle school, and Secondary Educator.
Petrillo has also taught at the university level, and continues to work as a Consultant and Special Investigator for businesses, faith-based agencies, and organizations nationally and internationally.
She has been a first responder at many major disasters across the country while serving as Commander of the Missouri Trauma Team. She previously worked disaster incidents like the Oklahoma City bombing, Hurricane Ivan, Hurricane Katrina, school shootings, community emergencies and other crisis situations.
Petrillo holds a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree from The University of Central Missouri, has completed Doctoral studies in education, and holds many national and international certifications in the Psychological field.
She also served as the Jackson County (Mo.) COMBAT Commissioner, overseeing the Community Backed Anti-Drug Sales Tax program (2008-2012) for the Jackson Country Missouri County Executive.
“PJ’s broad life experiences working with people and her understanding of the family farm make her a valuable addition to the FreshXperts team,” said Pelger. “FreshXperts is always innovating, looking for ways to improve our business, as well as those of our clients. PJ’s organization and people management skills will be valuable assets as we expand our team of FreshXperts and serve more clients in the produce industry. We are pleased to welcome her aboard.”
Petrillo currently resides in Tampa, Florida.
FreshXperts’ consortium of consultants shares over two centuries of fresh produce industry experience. The FreshXperts team delivers results for its clients through fresh industry marketing, supply chain visibility, packaging solutions, business technology tools, product development, merchandising strategies, organizational training, merchandising strategies, organizational governance, corporate professional analysis, and profile testing. More information about FreshXperts is available at www.freshxperts.com.
Source: FreshXperts
