The Eastern Produce Council plans to honor two produce industry veterans at its annual dinner-dance this fall.

The council will honor Arthur R. Brown Jr., best known for his long service as secretary of agriculture for the state of New Jersey, with a Lifetime Achievement Award, a first for the organization, according to EPC Executive Director John McAleavey.

The council also will induct Joe M. DeLorenzo of Alpha 1 Marketing into the EPC Hall of Fame, becoming the 11th person to be inducted into that group, Mr. McAleavey told The Produce News the third week in August.

The ceremonies for the two men will take place at the council's 45th annual dinner dance, scheduled for Nov. 3 at the Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park, NJ.

Mr. Brown was Arthur R. Brown Jr.born March 18, 1935, in Fulton, NY, and was raised on a dairy farm in Massachusetts. He earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Massachusetts and a master's degree in horticulture from Rutgers University's Cook College.

He was named New Jersey's secretary of agriculture in 1982 by Gov. Tom Kean, and served in that post until March 2002. Of his many accomplishments while serving as the state's secretary of agriculture, perhaps the most important was the establishment of the Jersey Fresh Marketing Program, which became something of a model for other states across the country.

"The Jersey Fresh program sold not only product, it sold New Jersey," he told The Produce News Aug. 27. "Almost every state in the nation now has a program similar" to the Jersey Fresh program. "We made New Jersey proud."

Mr. Brown and his wife, Carolyn, live on their 20-acre farm in Pomona, NJ, where they grow ethnic vegetables. Between the two, they have six children, 15 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, "and one great-grandchild on the way," he said.

Mr. DeLorenzo,Joe M. DeLorenzo a third-generation produce retailer, was born Nov. 10, 1950, in New York City. His grandfather owned a produce store in Manhattan, and his father owned supermarkets in New Jersey. Joe began his produce career working for his father in a family-operated business, starting as a produce clerk when he was 16 years old.

In the late 1970s, Joe's father sold his stores, and Joe began working for different owner groups in Foodtown. In 1982, he began working for Food Circus/Foodtown, which operated 12 supermarkets in New Jersey. In 1990, he was promoted to director of produce operations.

In November 2004, Mr. DeLorenzo began working for his current employer, Alpha 1 Marketing, which is the merchandising arm of Krasdale Foods, in White Plains, NY, as director of produce merchandising and operations. Krasdale serves more than 300 stores under the C-Town, Bravo, Aim and Market Fresh banners.

"The people here at Krasdale are fantastic," Mr. DeLorenzo told The Produce News Aug. 28. "Everyone works as a team. It's a nice atmosphere to work in."

Regarding the upcoming awards, Mr. DeLorenzo added, "I'm excited that Art is being honored with me. I really, really admire Art Brown for what he's done for New Jersey. If I had to pick a person to stand up there with me, I couldn't choose a better person."

Mr. DeLorenzo has served on the EPC board of directors for many years. He was vice president from 2001 to 2003, and was president from 2004 to 2009.

Mr. DeLorenzo currently resides in Clifton, NJ, with his wife, Goldie; between them they have seven children and eight grandchildren