Sun Pacific, the Los Angeles-based grower-shipper known for its recent success in launching the national Cutie clementine program, announced the hiring of Tristan Kieva as its new vice president of marketing.

Ms. Kieva has been in the produce industry for 16 years, the last seven of which were spent at Frieda's Inc. in Los Alamitos, CA, where she rose to the position of vice president of sales and marketing. Prior to Frieda's, she worked as marketing director for Paramount Farms in Los Angeles, and as the corporate marketing manager for Smart & Final in Vernon, CA.

Summeripe Worldwide Inc. in Dinuba, CA, announced the addition of Sun World International LLC in Bakersfield, CA, to the Summeripe Alliance of quality tree fruit shippers.

Sun World joins an existing group of shippers of preconditioned peaches, plums and nectarines that includes Crown Jewels Marketing, Family Tree Farms Inc., Giannini Packing Co., Mountain View Fruit Sales Inc., Pandol Bros. Inc., Simonian Fruit Co., Visalia Produce and Wespak Sales Co.

Bill Ramsey and Don Nucci, co-owners of Mann Packing, have named company veteran Mike Jarrard as the firm's new president and chief executive officer. He replaces Joe Nucci, who died unexpectedly last July at the age of 40.

Mr. Jarrard was most recently vice president of business development for Mann, where he managed company affiliates Garden Valley LLC and Fresh Leaf Farms LLC.

What would you do if presented with an opportunity to significantly improve the health of America's children while increasing your sales at the same time?

The United Research & Education Foundation has chosen to launch Project Fresh Start, a new three-year, $500,000-per-year program to help the next generation of children double their fresh produce consumption to meet today's dietary goals and stem the tide of childhood obesity.

In May 2003, fresh out of college and armed with a bachelor's degree in food science with a concentration in fermentation science, Roger Ortega had plans to use his new skills at a rather well-known St. Louis beermaking operation.

"I had interviewed to work with Anheuser-Busch and wanted eventually to return to the Northwest to open a brewpub/ microbrewery," Mr. Ortega said recently.

Promoting its 22nd annual Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival, set for July 14-16 at the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds in Walla Walla, WA, the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee will be giving away the coveted Sweety plush toy at this year's United Produce Show.

The committee will occupy booth 11314 at the May 6-9 United convention and expo, and Director of Marketing Kathryn Fry said that the committee will use the event to further the onion's overall presence in the industry.