Jim Nolan, longtime Ocean Spray executive, dies
Jim Nolan, longtime Ocean Spray executive, dies
Jim Nolan, who was the "fresh" face for Ocean Spray Cranberries for more than 20 years, died Sunday, March 2, after suffering a heart attack. He was 61.
At the time of his death, Mr. Nolan was vice president of The Nolan Network, a sales agency and marketing firm founded by his wife, Theresa Nolan.
In recent years, he was often associated with a lawsuit that he and his wife had filed against Ocean Spray alleging misconduct for the termination of a contract that the giant cranberry firm had with The Nolan Network. But in earlier times, Mr. Nolan was well known as the fresh fruit sales manager for Ocean Spray, and was an ardent advocate for increased fresh sales through the company's well-known independent network of brokers throughout the country. Each year, the Massachusetts-based co-op would allocate a certain percentage of the crop for fresh sales with the majority of the production saved for the many processed cranberry products for which Ocean Spray is famous.
Mr. Nolan was born July 27, 1946 in Kansas City, MO, but grew up in Oklahoma where he received a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. He began his professional career with a small-town Missouri newspaper, but soon took his experience to the trade media by accepting a position with The Packer. From 1974 to 1977, he roamed the East Coast as a field reporter and an advertising salesman.
In 1977, he joined Ocean Spray as fresh cranberry sales manager for the western United States and Canada, headquartered in Wisconsin but still always on the road. Four years later, he moved to the cooperative's headquarters in Massachusetts and was put in charge of the entire fresh fruit sales category.
In 2001, he retired from the company as a relatively young man to join The Nolan Network, where he continued to promote and sell Ocean Spray cranberries, and basically acted as the sales manager, though in a consultant role. In 2003, Ocean Spray terminated the contract with The Nolan Network, which led to the filing of the lawsuit by the Nolans.
Veteran produce industry reporter Bill Martin was Mr. Nolan's best friend as the two met in a journalism class freshman year in college in Oklahoma in 1964 and remained close for the ensuing 44 years, eventually ending up in the same business, which was no coincidence. They both started their produce careers at The Packer. "I think he was the most honest person I ever met," Mr. Martin said.
According to his best friend, it was Mr. Nolan's sense of integrity that led him to file the lawsuit against Ocean Spray. The trial is set to begin in late April in Plymouth, MA.
Mr. Nolan's funeral service was scheduled for Saturday, March 8 in Hendersonville, NC, where he met and married Theresa Nolan about 35 years ago. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his mother, Helen Hutchens.
At the time of his death, Mr. Nolan was vice president of The Nolan Network, a sales agency and marketing firm founded by his wife, Theresa Nolan.
In recent years, he was often associated with a lawsuit that he and his wife had filed against Ocean Spray alleging misconduct for the termination of a contract that the giant cranberry firm had with The Nolan Network. But in earlier times, Mr. Nolan was well known as the fresh fruit sales manager for Ocean Spray, and was an ardent advocate for increased fresh sales through the company's well-known independent network of brokers throughout the country. Each year, the Massachusetts-based co-op would allocate a certain percentage of the crop for fresh sales with the majority of the production saved for the many processed cranberry products for which Ocean Spray is famous.
Mr. Nolan was born July 27, 1946 in Kansas City, MO, but grew up in Oklahoma where he received a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. He began his professional career with a small-town Missouri newspaper, but soon took his experience to the trade media by accepting a position with The Packer. From 1974 to 1977, he roamed the East Coast as a field reporter and an advertising salesman.
In 1977, he joined Ocean Spray as fresh cranberry sales manager for the western United States and Canada, headquartered in Wisconsin but still always on the road. Four years later, he moved to the cooperative's headquarters in Massachusetts and was put in charge of the entire fresh fruit sales category.
In 2001, he retired from the company as a relatively young man to join The Nolan Network, where he continued to promote and sell Ocean Spray cranberries, and basically acted as the sales manager, though in a consultant role. In 2003, Ocean Spray terminated the contract with The Nolan Network, which led to the filing of the lawsuit by the Nolans.
Veteran produce industry reporter Bill Martin was Mr. Nolan's best friend as the two met in a journalism class freshman year in college in Oklahoma in 1964 and remained close for the ensuing 44 years, eventually ending up in the same business, which was no coincidence. They both started their produce careers at The Packer. "I think he was the most honest person I ever met," Mr. Martin said.
According to his best friend, it was Mr. Nolan's sense of integrity that led him to file the lawsuit against Ocean Spray. The trial is set to begin in late April in Plymouth, MA.
Mr. Nolan's funeral service was scheduled for Saturday, March 8 in Hendersonville, NC, where he met and married Theresa Nolan about 35 years ago. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his mother, Helen Hutchens.
