Southern Roots is the Southeast Produce Council’s leadership program for women in produce with a strong commitment to give back to the community, enriching the lives of women in our industry and beyond. The program’s mission is to cultivate genuine relationships by equipping, elevating and inspiring women of the produce industry through meaningful experiences.

TAMPA, FL — JOH, a leading independent food broker based in Billerica, MA, held a dinner March 7 at American Social, here, ahead of the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure convention.

Attendees of the Southern Roots luncheon, which took place during SEPC's Southern Exposure, heard from from Kristen Hadeed, founder and CEO of the Human Leadership Program. Her presentation, Permission to Screw Up, dove into how it is okay to make mistakes, let go of perfectionism, reframe your relationship with failure and allow yourself to be human.

The Southeast Produce Council hosted a special reception on March 8 for its inaugural class of the Next Generation Leadership Academy during SEPC’s Southern Exposure conference March 7-9, in Tampa, FL, marking the completion of the year-long program. This program is designed for up-and-coming leaders in the produce industry, to develop purposeful leadership styles.

It started in a small conference room about 10 years ago and has grown into a can’t-miss event and Southern Exposure — such is the Power of Produce. This year the Power of Produce 2024 session played to a packed ballroom; once again presented and moderated brilliantly by Anne-Marie Roerink, principal and founder of 210 Analytics, and Rick Stein, vice president of fresh foods at FMI.