Newark, De. and Washington D.C. – International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) celebrated a number of winners of key industry awards at the Global Produce & Floral Show this year. The winners represent the best of the industry, having been nominated and selected by industry leaders and members.
The award winners for the 2022 Awards of Excellence include:
The Frieda Rapoport Caplan Women’s Catalyst Award: Carrie Mack, Apple & Pear Sourcing Manager II at Walmart Sourcing
“Receiving this award is so meaningful to me,” said Mack. “Having finally found a seat at the table and being comfortable using my voice, my joy now is finding strengths in others and giving them little nudges of encouragement to build their personal fuel. With enough of us cultivating, leaning in, and nudging each other along in a space where we can speak freely, think of all we can accomplish together.”
The Jay Pack Cultivating Our Future Award: Charles Olins, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Saco Foods
“This is all about the students and enabling them to reach their full potential, as they look for opportunities in the produce industry and begin their careers,” said Olins. “It is a genuine privilege to be able to help students learn about our industry and develop their careers within it. I’m also aware that this is a mutually beneficial relationship. Over the years the students have challenged me to question why the industry and participants operate the way we do, this has often resulted in improvements in the way I and my colleagues perform.”
The Science and Technology Circle of Excellence Award: Verdant Technologies
“We are tremendously honored for Verdant Technologies and our HarvestHold solution to receive the IFPA Science & Technology Circle of Excellence Award,” says Gordon Robertson, CEO of Verdant Technologies. “Our goal is to bring nourishment to the world through innovative solutions that make a positive impact for our customers, the supply chain, and society. This award further validates the hard work of our team and the partnerships with our customers in the produce and floral industries that have helped bring our solution to market.”
Other awards recognized on site at the Global Show including Floral Marketer of the Year Award which recognized Lane DeVries of Sun Valley Floral Farms; the Retail Merchant Innovation Award sponsored by Sage Fruit Company, and the Produce Retail Manager Award sponsored by Dole plc were also recognized at the event.
Earlier this year at the Washington Conference, IFPA also recognized the Advocate of the Year Award which honored DNO Produce.
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About the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support. We exist to bring the industry together to create a vibrant future for all. We grow our member’s prosperity by conducting advocacy; connecting people and ideas; and offering guidance that allows us all to take action with purpose and confidence. While IFPA is built on the legacy of United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association, it is not just a combination. It is transformational. Recognizing the industry required an even more powerful and unified voice, the leaders of the former United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association chose not to merge, but rather to create an entirely new organization to supersede their organizations, effective January 1, 2022.
