In mid-September, when Hurricane Ike was several hundred miles off the coast of Texas and barreling down on the Lone Star State, Texas Produce Association President John McClung thought he might have to postpone the association's convention one more time.

But the storm veered north and east, sparing the Rio Grande Valley from its wrath and allowing the TPA convention to be held Sept. 19-21 in McAllen, TX. "We had somewhat of a makeshift event, but it was well worth the effort," he said. "We had some excellent presentations on a variety of very important topics."

The United Fresh Produce Association announced the hiring of Patrick Delaney to the newly created post of communications manager. He will handle all incoming press inquiries, as well as research and proactive media outreach. Additionally, he will play a key role in providing content development and editing for United Fresh publications.

YOUNG HARRIS, GA -- Close to 200 people gathered Sept. 25-27 for the Southeast Produce Council's 2008 fall conference, highlighted by the election of new officers, a workshop on the state of the economy, a golf tournament and plenty of social networking events.

ARLINGTON, VA -- The Food Marketing Institute's CEO Search Committee announced Oct. 3 its selection of Leslie G. Sarasin as president and chief executive officer.

Ms. Sarasin will be presented to the FMI board at its October meeting in Boston, and she will start at FMI in early November.

WASHINGTON -- In the wake of the Salmonella saintpaul outbreak, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration is holding two public meetings this fall to gather information on ways to enhance traceability systems for fresh produce.

The daylong meetings are planned for Oct. 16 at FDA's College Park, MD, office and for Nov. 13 at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland, CA.

It is said that good things come in threes, and that is certainly the case at Railex LLC.

With diesel fuel prices at an all-time high and with no relief in sight, the firm, a division of Riverhead, NY-based ADS Management LLC, is putting the finishing touches on its third state-of-the-art "freight-forward" distribution terminal in Delano, CA.

Paul Esposito, Railex's senior vice president of sales and logistics, told The Produce News Sept. 22 that its first Delano train is scheduled to depart Oct. 2 for its Rotterdam, NY, terminal.