It is hard to believe that after a decade in the leadership structure of the Southeast Produce Council, I will soon be on the other side of my day-to-day service, starting the next phase as a member of the council’s advisory board, not an active officer. I have been fortunate enough to be the first SEPC member in council history to hold every office on the board of directors.

But in a few days, at the 2014 Fall Conference at Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa in Young Harris, GA, when I turn over the reins of leadership to current SEPC Vice President Mark Daniels, I will join friends and colleagues — past presidents and trailblazers all — like John Shuman, Mark Hilton, Larry Narwold, Rick Estess, Al Finch and Tom Page on the advisory side of the council’s business.

It will take some getting used to. My tenure with the council has literally reshaped my life, professionally and personally. It’s made my business better. It’s helped me gain perspective. More important, it’s provided me with fellowship and friends who will be part of my life forever.

Mostly it’s shown me that no matter how much individuals may be able to accomplish working on their own, a band of brethren with common goals and common interests can multiply those efforts exponentially. Alone, we can each carry a few rocks on our backs. Together, we can move mountains — and we have.

As much as I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this success, it is simply not possible in this space. The council is truly a team effort, all for one and one for all. I am grateful to everyone who paved the way for me and for the extraordinary success and impact SEPC has had. I have had a relatively easy ride in my two years as president, and the work of those who came before me made that possible. They built a fine-tuned machine that requires only regular maintenance to keep humming like a performance engine. My goal has been to keep it humming, listening to the wisdom and experience of my peers and colleagues, and making a few tweaks that will hopefully make the job even easier for those coming after me.

Taking over the presidency from John Shuman at the 2012 SEPC Fall Conference in Asheville, NC, was both a humbling and challenging experience. After years of preparation, I was now taking on the role of leading the premiere regional produce association in the United States. My first goal was simply not to break it.

But with the team we have in place, the volunteers who serve tirelessly, including our committee chairs and the growing membership and our collective sense of purpose, I now realize I never should have worried.

Over the last two years, our accomplishments have been many and impactful, starting with a membership increase of more than one-third.

We continued to break records for attendance and revenue at the 2013 and 2014 Southern Exposure trade shows. At the same time, despite ever-increasing demand, we have been able to manage growth so as not to dilute value to our members and exhibitors. We currently have more than 80 would-be exhibitors on a waiting list for booth space to Southern Exposure in 2015.

The fall conference has continued to grow. We had record attendance in 2013 in Myrtle Beach, SC, and that record may fall again this month at Brasstown Valley.

Our social media outreach and marketing efforts have increased, including new and significant presence on outlets like Facebook and Twitter.

We have continued to raise the bar for keynote speakers. In the last two years, we have been fortunate to have legends and luminaries from the world of sports like Lou Holtz, Bill Cowher, Bobby Bowden and, at the upcoming fall conference, John Smoltz, share insights into the secrets of success.

We added more schools and more students to our STARS scholarship program, now led by Joe Watson. We also expanded our scholarship program for member families; this year, not a single child of a member seeking scholarship money was turned away. We are beginning our fifth year with our very successful STEP-UPP program, led by Faye Westfall and past President Tom Page.

And while the council has been blessed to have few failures as we have grown and moved forward, we did suffer one tremendous loss recently with the passing of founder and Executive Director Terry Vorhees. Simply put, without Terry, there would have never been a Southeast Produce Council. Without his tremendous vision and ceaseless efforts, the council would not have grown into the powerful force it has become.

There is no way to replace a man like Terry. He left an indelible mark that will guide our organization for years to come. And he will live forever in the hearts of those of us who were privileged enough to call him friend.

But we are also fortunate to be able to close ranks and move forward with another experienced leader, David Sherrod, who trained under Terry — as we all did — as an SEPC officer and who will officially become the council’s executive director at the fall conference. He will be great! As will the Southeast Produce Council.

At times like these, most people say they have mixed emotions about a change in life. I do not. I will miss being a daily part of the council.

I would like to also thank my wife, Jennifer, and our three girls for the love and support they have provided over the years that have helped make all of this possible.

I promise I will not ride quietly into the sunset. The Southeast Produce Council has given me a great deal, and I will always be seeking ways to repay that debt. I look forward to continuing to help SEPC prosper and grow in any way I can and help position our incredible organization to be of service to our industry for many years to come.