WENATCHEE, Wash. – Stemilt is proud to announce that their very own, Brian Evans, current Team Leader/Sales Representative, will be Stemilt’s new Senior Sales Manager for the U.S. and Canada effective immediately. Evans has been with Stemilt for 15 years and will be taking on this new role focusing on growing salespeople strengths and giving them the tools they need to succeed.
“This is an exciting progression for Brian and our sales team, as he has led categories like stone fruit for many years while also serving various accounts,” said Tate Mathison, Stemilt’s Director of Sales. “He’s proven to be a dedicated leader and we are thrilled to have him step into this leadership role with our domestic sales team.”
Evans started his career in produce at Costco Wholesale as the first designated cart pusher at the age of 16. He also worked as a cashier and stocker. He kept this job during his high school and college education attending University of Washington, and after graduating in 1989, he became a Financial Analyst for Costco Fresh Foods. Evans graduated college the same year with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, but had fallen in love with the fresh produce industry.
“In 2000, Evans went to work for Douglas Fruit where he performed as a Sales Manager for four years and lived in a stone fruit orchard which he co-owned with Douglas Fruit,” said Mike Taylor, Stemilt’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “He gained a realistic understanding of farming fresh produce and is able to pass along his experience to our sales team.”
Having lived on a stone fruit and cherry orchard, Evans understands the farming side of produce and what it takes to return value to the land. In his new role as Stemilt’s Domestic Sales Manager, he will focus on growing the strengths of salespeople to drive sales and perform at a level that is consistent with the company’s philosophy of cultivating people and delighting consumers through excellence.
During his 15 years at Stemilt thus far, he has sold 25,000,000 boxes, and navigated the sales team as Stemilt’s stone fruit program grew in size and became 100% organic. More recently, he has been a lead on Stemilt’s enterprise-wide software transformation.
“Evans’s passion for the produce industry is evident in his commitment to cultivating people and delighting consumers through excellence,” explains Mathison. “He demonstrates Stemilt’s cultural norms and values on a daily basis and has already been an outstanding Team Leader for our sales team. He is just the Stemilter we need to continue building Stemilt’s World Famous Legacy in sales.”
About Stemilt
Stemilt is a family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of tree fruit. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt’s mission is to cultivate people and delight consumers with its World Famous Fruits. Stemilt is a leader in sweet cherries and organic tree fruits, and a key supplier of apples and pears. The company stewards an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible business through its Responsible Choice® program, which has been in place since 1989. For more information about Stemilt, visit www.stemilt.com.
