Mylene Pacheco Joins PMA Staff

Newark, Del. — Maria Lena “Mylene” Pacheco joined Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) staff on April 1 in the newly-created position of vice president of member value creation. She leads the creation of value for PMA’s membership worldwide, including understanding member needs and developing value offerings to meet or exceed those needs. In this role, Mylene leads staff teams that are responsible for research and development, events and education.

Pacheco comes to PMA from the financial services industry, where she gained more than 15 years experience in product management, new product and service development, market research and marketing with a customer-centric focus. Most recently she was a vice president in the business card group of J.P. Morgan Chase Card Services in Wilmington, Del.

“Mylene brings a wealth of ideas and expertise from a different yet analogous industry. She’s an expert at discovering how to meet customer needs, and that’s a critical skill as PMA pushes forward to create more value for our members globally, delivering the most effective tools in the most appropriate formats,” said Bryan Silbermann, PMA president & CEO. “Her primary mission is to work with our membership to ensure we understand and address their priority needs, to help grow their businesses.”

Pacheco reports to Tony Parassio, senior vice president of member value; she works closely with PMA staff teams including member relations and business development, as well as the association’s volunteer leader groups. In addition, she also works with PMA’s Foundation for Industry Talent in creating tools to attract, develop and retain the industry’s current and future leaders.

“I have a passion for the customer, and for finding solutions for complex member needs,” Pacheco said. “I understand the importance of listening and cultivating relationships across organizations. I look forward to putting my skills to work to help PMA expand the value and service we provide to members around the world.”

Born and raised in the Philippines and bilingual in English and Filipino, Pacheco also supports PMA’s growth and member relations worldwide, including working with PMA Australia-New Zealand to ensure two-way value in that relationship.

Pacheco considers her employment with PMA as a return to her roots in the food industry; she helped manage the retail and wholesale operations of her family’s grains business and was a member of the Philippines’ National Food Authority before deciding to attend graduate school in the United States.

Pacheco received her bachelor’s degree in business management from Ateneo de Manila University in Manila, Philippines, and her MBA degree with an emphasis in marketing and corporate strategy from University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business Administration in Ann Arbor.

Pacheco is based in PMA’s headquarters in Newark, Del. She resides with her husband, a physician, and their two children in Greenville, Del. Active in her community, she serves on the Executive Committee of OperaDelaware and is chair of its Marketing Committee. Pacheco also mentors local elementary students, and is a long-time supporter of a scholarship fund that sponsors the education of deserving indigent students in San Juan City, Philippines.

Source: PMA