Mary Coppola Joins United Fresh As Mar-Comm Director

Mary Coppola has joined United Fresh Produce Association as senior director, marketing communications. Coppola will lead the association’s member communications and marketing functions, filling the position formerly held by Ray Gilmer.

Coppola was most recently director of marketing and creative services at the Healthcare Distribution Management Association in Arlington, Va., where she oversaw communication and marketing functions relating to event, product, services and membership marketing. She joined HDMA in 2008 as manager of creative services.

Earlier in her career, Coppola managed a design consultancy offering brand services to clients such as Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga., CaroLinks Inc. in Charleston, S.C., and BFG Communications in Bluffton, S.C., in addition to numerous small businesses in real estate and food and beverage industries along the Atlantic coast corridor.

She has a master’s degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. Coppola is a member of the American Marketing Association, the American Institute of Graphic Artists and the American Society of Association Executives. She has won numerous awards for creative marketing and advertising programs and most recently assisted in the founding of the DC Creative Guild.

“Mary will bring a fresh approach to our marketing and communications programs, helping us to better connect with and serve our members and constituents across the fresh produce and floral sectors," said Tom Stenzel, president and CEO.