Fresh Summit 5K Winners Announced

10/19/2011

The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Foundation for Industry Talent honored winners of its third-annual 5K Race for Talent held on Oct. 14, at the Centennial Olympic Park in conjunction with PMA’s Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition in Atlanta.

Medals were awarded to the top three overall male and female finishers, as well as to the top two male and female finishers in each age group. Awards were also handed out to Chiquita for best team spirit, to Team Dole as largest team to register and Team Costco for best team attire.

The top overall male finishers were:
Peppe Bonfiglio of Atlanta with a time of 18:23
Bert Mucci of Ontario, Canada, with a time of 18:42
Rodrigo Roach from Chile with a time of 19:46
The top overall female finishers were:
Eliza Voita of Calabasas, Calif., with a time of 20:54
Becky Burnworth of Tampa, Fla., with a time of 21:48
Jill Lenz of Watsonville, Calif., with a time of 22:46

More than 600 individuals participated in the race, which raised more than $110,000 from sponsorship for the foundation and its mission to attract, develop and retain talent for the produce industry.

“The overwhelming support demonstrated at this year’s 5K Race for Talent will take us a long ways in developing and implementing programs toward our goal of ensuring that the future of our industry is carried forward with individuals with the necessary skill sets,” said Margi Prueitt, executive director of the foundation. “We are especially grateful for the record number of sponsors who stepped up to take part this year.”

In related news, the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent announced its board members for the next year.

Chairman of the Board John Anderson, chairman, president and CEO of The Oppenheimer Group, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, is joined by three other officers and 16 directors to lead next year’s foundation activities. “We gained a lot of momentum last year with the foundation and all its activities,” said Anderson. “Our clear focus on talent will help organizations with short and long-term business performance and growth and will sustain our industry into the future.”

Officers are:
Vice Chair Jim Leimkuhler, president and owner, Progressive Produce Corp., Los Angeles
Secretary/Treasurer Derrick Jenkins, vice president of produce and floral, Wakefern Food Corp., Elizabeth, N.J.
Past Chair Bill Schuler, president and CEO, Castellini Companies, Highland Heights, Ky.

Other PMA Foundation for Industry Talent board members are:

Tonya Antle, Tanimura & Antle, Salinas, Calif.
Leonard Batti, managing and senior partner, The MIXTEC Group, Salinas
Karen Caplan, president, Frieda’s Inc., Los Alamitos, Calif.
Scott Carr, president and CEO, YottaMark, Redwood City, Calif.
Matt Curry, president, Curry & Co., Brooks, Ore.
Kevin Delaney, director, Corporate Sustainability & Productivity, Procacci Bros., Philadelphia
Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing, California Avocado Commission, Irvine, Calif.
Tim Knoerzer, global HR technology & services lead, Monsanto, St. Louis
Lisa McNeece, vice president foodservice and industrial sales, Grimmway Farms, Bakersfield, Calif.
Jim Richter, executive vice president of sales and management, Wilcox Fresh, Rexburg, Idaho
Bryan Silbermann, president and CEO, Produce Marketing Association, Newark, Del.
Marc Solomon, president and CEO, Fisher Capespan USA LLC, Gloucester, N.J.
Dick Spezzano, president, Spezzano Consulting Service Inc., Monrovia, Calif.
Steve Stein, vice president human resources, Driscoll’s, Watsonville, Calif.
Channel White, strategy consultant, Carter & Spencer Group, Bondi Junction, Australia
Larry Zink, industry relations and outreach coordinator, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.

Retiring from the board were Gene Harris, senior purchasing manager, Denny’s Corp., Spartanburg, S.C.; Lorri Koster, vice president of marketing, Mann Packing Co. Inc., Salinas; David Werner, corporate director marketing, Ben E. Keith, Co., Fort Worth, Texas; and Nancy Wolfe, vice president human resources, vegetable seed division, Monsanto, St. Louis.

The PMA Foundation for Industry Talent was founded in 2006 by PMA. For more information, visit www.pmafit.com.