Rob O'Rourke returning to the company he co-founded
Rob O'Rourke returning to the company he co-founded
After a two-and-a-half-year stretch as vice president of produce for Topco Associates in Skokie, IL, Rob O'Rourke is returning to RJO Produce Marketing, the company he founded in Fresno, CA, in 1993 with his brother John.
RJO President John O'Rourke said in a company statement that he is delighted to have his brother back on the RJO team.
"Rob has very progressive thoughts and ideas on how to better serve the produce industry," Mr. O'Rourke said in a statement. "Rob is a change agent, and has always been one to come up with new ways to grow our retail customers' sales and help suppliers to be better partners. Rob's vision will help create new programs and drive efficiencies and sales for retailers and suppliers. RJO is successful today because of our integrity, knowledge and experience, and Rob will help us take it to a new level."
Rob O'Rourke said that his tenure with Topco, a privately held buying cooperative, was extremely enlightening.
"Topco is a multi-channel powerhouse, tilting the playing field in the direction of its members," he said. "I became fully entrenched in a variety of retail buying operations and learned a great deal during my time at Topco. Working with many different types of department operations really broadened my understanding of the challenges the retail community faces. I learned from a group of highly respectable professionals who are dedicated to providing great service to their members, and my understanding of retail grocery evolved tremendously."
However, the marketing side of the fresh produce business continued to call out to Rob O'Rourke.
"I am passionate about growing sales," he said. "When John and I started RJO in 1993, I thought that was my produce destiny -- to work in the commodities I grew up in. However, my move to Topco was the right thing to do to broaden my understanding of the retail grocery business.
"Now I see a number of opportunities that go beyond managing the cost side of the equation," he added. "We can grow category sales by taking a retailer's strategy to the field and working with suppliers to execute it on a daily basis. Returning to RJO will allow me to put my ideas into action."
RJO President John O'Rourke said in a company statement that he is delighted to have his brother back on the RJO team.
"Rob has very progressive thoughts and ideas on how to better serve the produce industry," Mr. O'Rourke said in a statement. "Rob is a change agent, and has always been one to come up with new ways to grow our retail customers' sales and help suppliers to be better partners. Rob's vision will help create new programs and drive efficiencies and sales for retailers and suppliers. RJO is successful today because of our integrity, knowledge and experience, and Rob will help us take it to a new level."
Rob O'Rourke said that his tenure with Topco, a privately held buying cooperative, was extremely enlightening.
"Topco is a multi-channel powerhouse, tilting the playing field in the direction of its members," he said. "I became fully entrenched in a variety of retail buying operations and learned a great deal during my time at Topco. Working with many different types of department operations really broadened my understanding of the challenges the retail community faces. I learned from a group of highly respectable professionals who are dedicated to providing great service to their members, and my understanding of retail grocery evolved tremendously."
However, the marketing side of the fresh produce business continued to call out to Rob O'Rourke.
"I am passionate about growing sales," he said. "When John and I started RJO in 1993, I thought that was my produce destiny -- to work in the commodities I grew up in. However, my move to Topco was the right thing to do to broaden my understanding of the retail grocery business.
"Now I see a number of opportunities that go beyond managing the cost side of the equation," he added. "We can grow category sales by taking a retailer's strategy to the field and working with suppliers to execute it on a daily basis. Returning to RJO will allow me to put my ideas into action."
