Tropical and specialty produce veteran Peter Leifermann has joined J&C Tropicals in Miami as its sales and category management representative.

Mr. Leifermann resigned from Fresh King Inc. in July. Prior to that, he was managing partner at C-Brands Tropicals Inc. Both firms are located in Homestead, FL.

The board of directors of A. Duda & Sons Inc., a family-owned, diversified land company based in Oviedo, FL, announced the appointment of David J. Duda as president of the corporation in a Sept. 30 press release. David J. Duda, who has worked for the company for 22 years, will report to Joseph A. Duda, chief executive officer of the corporation.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods will feature Food Network star and celebrity chef Juan-Carlos Cruz in the company's booth Saturday, Oct. 3, during the PMA's Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition in Anaheim, CA.

As the host of Food Network's "Calorie Countdown" and "Weighing In," Chef Cruz reinvented recipes on the air for hungry dieters, slashing wasted calories and adding flavor to healthy foods.

On Sept. 10, Tamara L. Furda was selected as the grand-prize winner of the Sweet Times with Vidalias national recipe contest. Held by the Vidalia Onion Committee, the contest gave contestants a chance to win one of three cash prizes by submitting a favorite Vidalia onion recipe and fond memory of the sweet onion.

Recipes and stories were judged by a panel including Chef Joe Randall, owner of Chef Joe Randall's Cooking School in Savannah, GA, and Wendy Brannen, executive director of the Vidalia Onion Committee.

Despite challenging economic times, Produce for Kids raised more than $422,000 for local Children's Miracle Network and children's hospitals this spring, bringing the total amount the organization has raised since its inception to more than $2.3 million.

Six regional grocery retailers and 39 fresh fruit and vegetable growers from across the United States participated in the spring Produce for Kids campaign including Acme, Meijer, Giant Foods (Carlisle division), Price Chopper, Publix and the Kroger stores located in Dallas and Houston.

The Produce Marketing Association's annual Fresh Summit convention, to be held Oct. 2-5 in Anaheim, CA, offers one of the better formal and informal opportunities to network, make new contacts and work to grow a produce business.

It all starts on Friday, Oct. 2, with the Welcoming Reception, scheduled from 6-8 p.m. at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel. The reception is designed to help attendees develop new business relationships and reconnect with colleagues. The Chilean Fresh Fruit Association is the sponsor of the welcoming reception.