United Fresh Names Board Officers, Directors
United Fresh's past chairman Reggie Griffin has named the slate of new officers and directors nominated to serve on the United Fresh Produce Association board of directors, effective May 14, 2013.
Ron Midyett, CEO of Apio Inc., will ascend to the role of chairman of the board; he currently serves as chairman-elect. Nominated as the new chairman-elect is Ron Carkoski, president and CEO of Four Seasons Family of Companies, based in Ephrata, Pa.
The board's new secretary-treasurer nominee is Lorri A. Koster, chairman and CEO, Mann Packing Company. Current chairman of the board David W. Krause, who serves as president of Paramount Citrus, will move to the position of immediate past chairman and will remain on the board and executive committee.
The following industry leaders have been nominated to serve as new members of the United Fresh Board for a two-year term beginning May 2013:
- William L. (Bill) Brim, President, Lewis Taylor Farms, Inc., Tifton, Ga.
- Bob Elliott, Director, Food Safety, Sunkist Growers, Inc., Fontana, Calif. * Nominated to serve as chairman of the food safety and technology council
- Fred Heptinstall, President and GM, IFCO Systems RPC Management Services Division, NA, Tampa, Fla.
- Robert (Bob) Kirch, President & CEO, Caito Foods Service, Inc., Indianapolis * Nominated to serve as vice chair of the Wholesaler-Distributor Board
- Joe Klare, EVP, Castellini Company, LLC, Wilder, Ky.
- Gordon Robertson, SVP, Sales and Marketing, Sun World International, LLC, Bakersfield, Calif.
- Michael Spinazzola, President, Diversified Restaurant Systems (DRS), San Diego, Calif.
- Bob Swartwout, VP, Sales, R.S. Hanline Company, Inc., Shelby, Ohio * Nominated to serve as vice chair of the Fresh-Cut Processor Board
Current board members nominated to new positions of service on market segment boards and councils include:
- Chairman, Fresh-Cut Processor Board - Tony Freytag, Crunch Pak Sliced Apples
- Chairman, Finance & Business Management Council - Scott Danner, Liberty Fruit Co., Inc.
- Chairman, Government Relations Council - John Keeling, National Potato Council
- Chairman, Produce Marketing & Merchandising Council - Roger Pepperl, Stemilt Growers, LLC
- Chairman, Wholesaler Distributor Board - Lisa Strube, Strube Celery & Vegetable Company
The following officers of market segment boards and councils will continue their service on the board:
- Chairman, Grower-Shipper Board - Will Steele, Frontera Produce
- Vice Chairman, Grower-Shipper Board - Tom Deardorff, Deardorff Family Farms
- Chairman, Retail-Foodservice Board - Randy Scott, Delhaize America
- Vice Chairman, Retail-Foodservice Board - Sean Picquelle, Taco Bell
- Chairman, Global Advisory Council - Paddy Callaghan, Nature’s Best Ltd.
- Chairman, Nutrition & Health Council - Dan’l Mackey Almy, DMA Solutions, Inc.
- Chairman, Supply Chain Logistics Council - Kenny Lund, Allen Lund Company, Inc.
- Chairman, United Fresh Foundation - Steve Grinstead, Grinstead Enterprises
The following current at-large board members will continue their service on the board: Bill Brooks, Westlake Produce Company; Steve Burnham, Safeway, Inc.; Jim Catchot, Renaissance Food Group; Greg Corrigan, Raley's Family of Fine Stores; Aaron Fox, Fox Packaging; Emily Fragoso, Status Gro; David Hille, Cabbage, Inc.; Cindy Jewell, California Giant Berry Farms; Deverl Maserang, Chiquita Brands International, Inc.; Lisa McNeece, Grimmway Enterprises; Kevin Moffitt, Pear Bureau Northwest; Bob Morrissey, National Watermelon Association, Inc.; Angela Nardone, N2N Global; Dave Russell, Del Monte Fresh Produce, N.A., Inc.; Rob Schrick, Bayer CropScience; Ivan Tarriba, Farmer's Best International, LLC; Greg Wohlleb, Bunzl, Inc.; and Mike Wootton, Sunkist Growers, Inc.
Board members concluding service at the May 14 meeting include: Reggie Griffin, Reggie Griffin Strategies; Barry Bedwell, California Grape & Tree Fruit League; Jan Berk, San Miguel Produce, Inc.; John Chrosniak, Dupont Crop Protection; Ana Hooper, Darden; Walter Ram, The Giumarra Companies; and Jackson Woodward, Horton Fruit Company.