Executive director looks back on EPC
Executive director looks back on EPC
The Eastern Produce Council was founded 40 years ago in l966; it represented the produce industry on the East Coast. At the same time, a similar organization called the Fresh Produce Council was founded on the West Coast.
Both of these organizations are still flourishing today.
When I look back to the year that I joined the Eastern Produce Council, in l984, it's amazing how far the produce industry has grown in the past 22 years. With globalization as the impetus for this phenomenal growth, fresh fruits and vegetables as well as exotic produce are now available in our local supermarkets on a daily basis. Back then, for example, peaches were sold in the New York-New Jersey marketplace during the summer only; now all fresh produce is obtainable throughout the winter, as is the case with so many similar seasonal items.
Five years after joining the council, I became the executive director and continue to hold that position today. When I started as executive director, membership was down, there were only six sponsored meetings per year, and attendance at these meetings was modest. I welcomed the opportunity to change this with the full support of the officers and board of directors. My objective was to first set some goals for the council and to accomplish infusing these goals with energy and enthusiasm. Over the next few years, we increased membership by over 100 members, and the number of sponsored meetings was increased to eight or nine per year.
Each council meeting is sponsored by a produce company or commodity group. It includes a cocktail hour; an informative sponsor presentation which highlights crop updates, marketing strategies and relevant research data; and a full-course dinner. The dinner often includes the focus product in the menu. During dinner, prizes are raffled off.
With each year, meeting attendance has grown. Now turnout for an event can reach 150 members. Of note, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture has sponsored a meeting for the past 35 years. Our meetings with both the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and New York Department of Agriculture highlight our year with the largest turnouts -- often drawing as many as 200 attendees.
As I look back, a few meetings stand out because of unusual circumstances. Ten years ago, our January meeting hosted by the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (always a large turnout) was set for 190 attendees. However, a major snowstorm cut the crowd in half -- but the show went on. We even had one member (none other than Joe Procacci) drive from Philadelphia with only one lane of the New Jersey Turnpike open. The following year this same sponsor's dinner had to be canceled because of a blizzard.
The only other meeting which had to be canceled was the one set for Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2001. The hotel (located only nine miles from Ground Zero) where a cookout sponsored by the New York Apple Association was scheduled was transformed into a medical center.
One annual event which members look forward to each year is the golf outing. This year we celebrated our 31st outing, which we have named the Phil LaRocca/Pete Piastra Memorial Golf Outing, honoring those two past presidents. In the past, we would have 25-30 golfers, but this year we had a strong turnout of 120. A full day of golf, barbecue, prizes and awards were enjoyed.
Another highlight on our calendar year has been the annual dinner dance. In the past few years we inaugurated the Eastern Produce Council Man of the Year Award. The first honorees was Joe Procacci and the second honoree was Al Ferri -- both distinguished members of the produce industry. This year we will celebrate our 40th anniversary at which time we will induct the first members into the Eastern Produce Council Hall of Fame. Four distinguished past presidents/directors will be inducted. Also tied to this event is the EPC Journal. This publication is quite popular and has become a collector's item. Last year we had 250 advertisers, which we hope to surpass this year.
Being a non-profit organization, one of our primary objectives is to make annual contributions to needy organizations. In the past, special events have prompted contributions like the Oklahoma City Fund after the bombing of a federal building and the Montoursville and the Pennsylvania High School Fund after the tragic plane crash which killed 16 high school students on their way to Paris. Other organizations which have benefited from donations include The Red Cross, The March of Dimes, Juvenile Diabetes, Kessler Rehabilitation Hospital, Coley's Anemia and Rutgers University-Cook College Scholarship Fund.
During my tenure, I am also very proud of the council's support of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, and we have included their 5 A Day programs in several of our meetings. Another trend I am very happy about is the increase in the number of women at the meetings as well as representation on our board of directors and various committees.
It has been a privilege to be part of such a vibrant organization serving as its executive director. I feel the real key to the council's success has been the camaraderie of all our members. I look forward to my relationship with the organization for many years to come.
(John McAleavey is executive director of the Eastern Produce Council. A special section celebrating the council's 40th anniversary appears in the Oct. 2 issue of The Produce News.)
Both of these organizations are still flourishing today.
When I look back to the year that I joined the Eastern Produce Council, in l984, it's amazing how far the produce industry has grown in the past 22 years. With globalization as the impetus for this phenomenal growth, fresh fruits and vegetables as well as exotic produce are now available in our local supermarkets on a daily basis. Back then, for example, peaches were sold in the New York-New Jersey marketplace during the summer only; now all fresh produce is obtainable throughout the winter, as is the case with so many similar seasonal items.
Five years after joining the council, I became the executive director and continue to hold that position today. When I started as executive director, membership was down, there were only six sponsored meetings per year, and attendance at these meetings was modest. I welcomed the opportunity to change this with the full support of the officers and board of directors. My objective was to first set some goals for the council and to accomplish infusing these goals with energy and enthusiasm. Over the next few years, we increased membership by over 100 members, and the number of sponsored meetings was increased to eight or nine per year.
Each council meeting is sponsored by a produce company or commodity group. It includes a cocktail hour; an informative sponsor presentation which highlights crop updates, marketing strategies and relevant research data; and a full-course dinner. The dinner often includes the focus product in the menu. During dinner, prizes are raffled off.
With each year, meeting attendance has grown. Now turnout for an event can reach 150 members. Of note, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture has sponsored a meeting for the past 35 years. Our meetings with both the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and New York Department of Agriculture highlight our year with the largest turnouts -- often drawing as many as 200 attendees.
As I look back, a few meetings stand out because of unusual circumstances. Ten years ago, our January meeting hosted by the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (always a large turnout) was set for 190 attendees. However, a major snowstorm cut the crowd in half -- but the show went on. We even had one member (none other than Joe Procacci) drive from Philadelphia with only one lane of the New Jersey Turnpike open. The following year this same sponsor's dinner had to be canceled because of a blizzard.
The only other meeting which had to be canceled was the one set for Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2001. The hotel (located only nine miles from Ground Zero) where a cookout sponsored by the New York Apple Association was scheduled was transformed into a medical center.
One annual event which members look forward to each year is the golf outing. This year we celebrated our 31st outing, which we have named the Phil LaRocca/Pete Piastra Memorial Golf Outing, honoring those two past presidents. In the past, we would have 25-30 golfers, but this year we had a strong turnout of 120. A full day of golf, barbecue, prizes and awards were enjoyed.
Another highlight on our calendar year has been the annual dinner dance. In the past few years we inaugurated the Eastern Produce Council Man of the Year Award. The first honorees was Joe Procacci and the second honoree was Al Ferri -- both distinguished members of the produce industry. This year we will celebrate our 40th anniversary at which time we will induct the first members into the Eastern Produce Council Hall of Fame. Four distinguished past presidents/directors will be inducted. Also tied to this event is the EPC Journal. This publication is quite popular and has become a collector's item. Last year we had 250 advertisers, which we hope to surpass this year.
Being a non-profit organization, one of our primary objectives is to make annual contributions to needy organizations. In the past, special events have prompted contributions like the Oklahoma City Fund after the bombing of a federal building and the Montoursville and the Pennsylvania High School Fund after the tragic plane crash which killed 16 high school students on their way to Paris. Other organizations which have benefited from donations include The Red Cross, The March of Dimes, Juvenile Diabetes, Kessler Rehabilitation Hospital, Coley's Anemia and Rutgers University-Cook College Scholarship Fund.
During my tenure, I am also very proud of the council's support of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, and we have included their 5 A Day programs in several of our meetings. Another trend I am very happy about is the increase in the number of women at the meetings as well as representation on our board of directors and various committees.
It has been a privilege to be part of such a vibrant organization serving as its executive director. I feel the real key to the council's success has been the camaraderie of all our members. I look forward to my relationship with the organization for many years to come.
(John McAleavey is executive director of the Eastern Produce Council. A special section celebrating the council's 40th anniversary appears in the Oct. 2 issue of The Produce News.)
