The fourth Eastern Produce Council (EPC) Leadership Class continues its broad education in the industry at Cornell University’s Foundational Excellence Future-Leaders-In-Produce program during the New York Produce Show on November 29, 2022. This career-building one-day overview provides an immersion into the structure and operations of the produce industry, including topics such as food system economics, product and information flows, consumer and competitive trends and other critical industry issues.
“Our Leadership Class participates in this valuable program each year,” says Susan McAleavey Sarlund, EPC Executive Director. “It provides rewarding industry knowledge, support and mentorship whether for a young professional starting out or a senior executive who has come over from another industry.”
The Cornell University Future-Leaders-In-Produce Program was crafted specifically for produce industry executives with less than five years’ experience to fill a void of educational opportunities for this group of produce professionals. Event speakers include renowned faculty from Cornell and respected produce industry professionals.
The EPC’s respected Leadership Class program combines a dual-medium learning environment of both field tours and classroom learning activities throughout the year culminating in the trip to the New York Produce Show and the Foundational Excellence event. “Once again, we have an outstanding class who are very engaged with one another and what they are learning from the industry,” said McAleavey Sarlund.
Participants selected for this year’s program include: Mohammed Bouzaidi of Global Fresh Vision LLC; John Carapella, Jr. of Sierra Produce; Shanna Deegan of Suja Juice; Catherine DeLettera with Zespri; Louis Getzelman of Canyon Sales Company LLC; Patrick Hallock of Four Seasons Produce; Brendan Haslam of Bolthouse Farms; Peter Machala of Wakefern Food Corp.; Krystal McCusker of The Oppenheimer Group; Juliet Moran with Suja Juice; Noelle Neary of Wakefern Food Corp.; Dan Oettinger with JOH Metro; Garett Sebor of Key Food Stores; Kate Watson of The Oppenheimer Group; and Shawn Wen with Zespri.
