Mission Produce Inc., Oxnard, CA, announces the promotion of Jake Nixon to the position of Vice President of Engineering & Process Improvement. Mission, a global avocado packer-shipper, has operations in Mexico, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Canada and the United States.
Jake was originally hired on August 31, 2007 as Mission’s Process Improvement & Project Manager. His accomplishments at Mission are numerous and instrumental in providing the company with expertise in facility expansions, state-of-the-art efficiencies, cost reductions, safety programs and education on all processes.
Ron Araiza: Vice President of Sales
Mission also announced the promotion of Ron Araiza to the position of Vice President of Sales. Ron’s original hire date was January 7, 1997, where he has served at Mission as Director of Sales for 17 years.
Ron oversees 20 domestic and international sales representatives that currently source, manage and sell into avocado markets that include North America, South America, Asia, and Europe. Araiza has helped manage the development and growth of the avocado category through implementation of a national ripe program. Mission’s ripe program enabled the company to become the leader in supplying retailers with ripe avocados across the United States. The result was sales growth of up to 300% for retailers embarking on their first ripe program. Ron has helped develop similar success in the Canadian market. He also serves as an alternate board member on the California Avocado Commission.
Prior to joining Mission Produce in 1997, he spent over 12 years practicing Law in California. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Juris Doctorate degree from Western State University. Ron passed the California State Bar and has been a member since 1985.
VP of Sales & Marketing, Ross Wileman said,” This was a well deserved promotion based on Ron’s 17 years of high level performance.”
Agustin Lacayo: Vice President of Packing Operations – California, Mexico, and Peru.
Finally, Mission announced the hiring of Agustin Lacayo to the position of Vice President of Packing Operations for Mission’s facilities in California, Mexico and Peru.
Originally hired by Paramount Citrus Association in 1995, Lacayo served as a post-harvest technician and manager until 1996 when he was named Plant Manager of Lemon Operations. From 1997 to 2004 he served as Plant Manager for Orange Operations and from 2004 to 2007 he was Director of Citrus Packing Operations. He was promoted to General Manager of Production and Inventory in 2008 and to Senior Director of Citrus Packing Operations – Texas Division, in 2013.
President and CEO, Steve Barnard said, “Mission continues to grow in the avocado category and with 13 facilities in 6 countries and 7 states, it was essential to have a standard of processes and management tools. With Agustin’s experience in packing operations and Jakes background in engineering and process improvement, Mission will have a foundation for success.”
Source: Mission Produce Inc.
