Newark, Del. — Produce and floral retail industry veteran Anthony Barbieri will join the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) staff in June, PMA President & CEO Bryan Silbermann has announced. His hiring reflects an ongoing effort by the association and its member board to bring hands-on industry perspective to developing, delivering and communicating the value PMA brings to members and their businesses.
Barbieri will join PMA after a 34-year career with Acme Markets Inc., where he rose from store produce manager to become the company’s produce and floral director. Barbieri managed all aspects of produce and floral operations of the chain’s 125 retail stores generating more than $275 million in annual sales. In addition to his responsibilities for buying, category management, marketing, sales, financial forecasting and personnel development, he also worked closely with the chain’s food safety director on industry issues.
In his new position, Barbieri will lead and provide strategic direction to the association’s global business development team as PMA’s vice president of sales and business development. This team is responsible for attracting new members, retaining existing members, and sales related to PMA events, products and other business solutions. In this capacity, he will work closely with PMA’s volunteer leader boards and councils, and PMA’s member relations, marketing, public relations and product development staff teams. Barbieri will report to Tony Parassio, senior vice president of member value.
“Anthony is passionate about the success of the entire produce and floral supply chain, so I know he will now bring his considerable business acumen to the task of growing PMA members’ businesses with his signature high energy level,” said Silbermann.
“I’m very excited to join the PMA team, this is an opportunity for me to grow and develop in the association arena and in industry-wide service,” Barbieri said. “It will also provide me the ability to share the knowledge and experience of my 34-year retail career with PMA membership and staff.”
Barbieri will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with existing and prospective members, as well as event exhibitors, sponsors and attendees. He will also work to build and maintain strategic partnerships with industry groups including promotional and trade organizations in the United States and in growth markets around the world.
“Anthony understands that for our industry to work effectively and efficiently, all of the links of the supply chain must work together,” said Bill Schuler, chairman of PMA’s Board of Directors and president & CEO of Castellini Group of Companies. ”His experience and focus in this new position will, without question, benefit PMA’s membership and the entire produce and floral industries.”
Barbieri is well-known across the produce and floral supply chain, and among PMA’s volunteer leadership. He is a member of PMA’s Board of Directors (positions that he will resign to assume his staff position), and is past chair PMA’s retail division board. He was named to The Packer’s “Packer 25” in 2009, chaired PMA’s Fresh Summit Convention Committee in 2008, and was named “Produce Retailer of the Year” by Vance Publishing’s Produce Merchandising magazine.
A resident of Hockessin, Del., Barbieri will be based in PMA’s headquarters in Newark, Del.
Source: Produce Marketing Association