United announces 2005 board officers and nominees
United announces 2005 board officers and nominees
The United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association has announced the produce industry leaders nominated to serve on its 2005 board of directors. Ascending to chairman of the board is Nicholas J. Tompkins, president and CEO of Apio Inc. in Guadalupe, CA.
Mr. Tompkins has been CEO of Apio since its founding in 1979. The company is a manufacturer and marketer of pre-cut value-added vegetables to the club store, retail and foodservice sectors, as well as an exporter of fruits and vegetables throughout the world.
In 1999, Apio was acquired by Landec Corp., a publicly traded company on the board of which Mr. Tompkins serves. He is a 1977 graduate of California State University-Fresno and serves on the Ag Business Advisory Council of California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. He has served on United's board since 2001, and served as chairman-elect of the association for the past year.
Maureen Marshall, vice president of Torrey Farms Inc. in Elba, NY, has been nominated as 2005 chairman-elect, to assume the chairmanship of United in 2006. The Torrey family has farmed in upstate New York for 11 generations, where Ms. Marshall oversees marketing and business management for her family's 10,000-acre farm. She also works with her husband, Paul Marshall, in managing their trucking business, Paul Marshall Produce Inc.
Ms. Marshall has served the produce industry at the state and national level for many years. She served as the first chairman of the USDA Fruit & Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee in 2002. She has also served on the boards of United, the National Council of Agricultural Employers, the New York State Vegetable Growers Association and the Leafy Greens Council. She was also the recipient of the 2001 New York State Agricultural Society Business of the Year Award.
Current Chairman Lawrence A. Kern, president and CEO of Ready Pac Produce in Irwindale, CA, will hold the office of immediate past chairman, and remain on the board and the executive committee for one year.
In addition, Steve Grinstead, president and CEO of Pro*Act LLC in Monterey, CA, has been nominated as secretary-treasurer. Mr. Grinstead is a past chairman of United, and will succeed Daniel G. Vache, vice president of sales for Sensitech in Redmond, WA, who is completing a four-year term as secretary-treasurer.
The following industry leaders are nominated to serve on United's Board for a two-year term beginning May 2005:
Barry J. Bedwell, president of the California Grape & Tree Fruit League in Fresno, CA, who in July 2003 was named president of the league, a voluntary association representing approximately 85 percent of the volume of fresh-market table grapes and deciduous tree fruit grown in California.
J. Brendan Comito, chief operating officer of Capital City Fruit Inc. in Norwalk, IA, in 2003, with his father, Joe, and his family, won United's Produce Industry Advocate of the Year Award for their advocacy before Congress and support of United's political outreach programs.
Reggie Griffin, corporate vice president of produce and floral for The Kroger Co., began his career at Kroger in 1969, working part time while attending college. He is a past chairman of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, past president of the Houston Fruit & Vegetable Association and currently serves on the board of the Produce Marketing Association.
Victor Smith, chief executive officer of Fresh Innovations LLC in Yuma, AZ, formed the firm in 2003 to focus on specialty vegetable items including green onions, radishes and leeks using proprietary processes for automating and mechanizing labor-intensive crops to enhance food safety and quality.
Timothy R. Vaux, director of food-industry relations for DuPont Crop Protection in Fresno, CA, provides leadership and strategic direction for DuPont's relations with the U.S. fruit and vegetable industry. He is the founder of the United Produce Industry Leadership Program, established and funded by DuPont since 1995. He previously served on the United board of directors and executive committee, and is now nominated for a new term on the board.
In addition to the new board members, the following current board members will continue service on the board: Rick Antle of Tanimura & Antle Inc.; Ron Carkoski of Four Seasons Produce; Chuck Ciruli of Ciruli Brothers/AMEX Distributing; Rick Cooper of Del Monte Fresh Produce; Matthew D'Arrigo of D'Arrigo Bros. of New York; Jan DeLyser of the California Avocado Commission; Walter A. (Drew) Duda Jr. of A. Duda & Sons; Jan Fleming of Strube Celery & Vegetable Co.; Robert A. Grimm of Grimmway Enterprises; Mark G. Hilton of Harris-Teeter Supermarkets; Howard A. Leach of Taylor Farms; Jim Lemke of C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc.; Frank X. Padilla of Costco Wholesale; John Shelford of Global Berry Farms; Walter Strickland of Strickland Produce; Sherrie Terry of Chiquita Fresh North America; Hugh Topper of H.E. Butt Grocery Co.; Fred Williamson of Andrew & Williamson; and Michael Wootton of Sunkist Growers Inc.
Board members who will complete their terms of service at the May convention are Robert J. Gordon of FreshPoint Inc.; Michael J. Kemp of Save-A-Lot; and Michael J. Stuart of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association.
Also concluding board service is Karen B. Caplan of Frieda's Inc., immediate past chairman, who served as chairman of the board during United's 100th anniversary, and who was the first woman to chair the association in its history.
Mr. Tompkins has been CEO of Apio since its founding in 1979. The company is a manufacturer and marketer of pre-cut value-added vegetables to the club store, retail and foodservice sectors, as well as an exporter of fruits and vegetables throughout the world.
In 1999, Apio was acquired by Landec Corp., a publicly traded company on the board of which Mr. Tompkins serves. He is a 1977 graduate of California State University-Fresno and serves on the Ag Business Advisory Council of California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. He has served on United's board since 2001, and served as chairman-elect of the association for the past year.
Maureen Marshall, vice president of Torrey Farms Inc. in Elba, NY, has been nominated as 2005 chairman-elect, to assume the chairmanship of United in 2006. The Torrey family has farmed in upstate New York for 11 generations, where Ms. Marshall oversees marketing and business management for her family's 10,000-acre farm. She also works with her husband, Paul Marshall, in managing their trucking business, Paul Marshall Produce Inc.
Ms. Marshall has served the produce industry at the state and national level for many years. She served as the first chairman of the USDA Fruit & Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee in 2002. She has also served on the boards of United, the National Council of Agricultural Employers, the New York State Vegetable Growers Association and the Leafy Greens Council. She was also the recipient of the 2001 New York State Agricultural Society Business of the Year Award.
Current Chairman Lawrence A. Kern, president and CEO of Ready Pac Produce in Irwindale, CA, will hold the office of immediate past chairman, and remain on the board and the executive committee for one year.
In addition, Steve Grinstead, president and CEO of Pro*Act LLC in Monterey, CA, has been nominated as secretary-treasurer. Mr. Grinstead is a past chairman of United, and will succeed Daniel G. Vache, vice president of sales for Sensitech in Redmond, WA, who is completing a four-year term as secretary-treasurer.
The following industry leaders are nominated to serve on United's Board for a two-year term beginning May 2005:
Barry J. Bedwell, president of the California Grape & Tree Fruit League in Fresno, CA, who in July 2003 was named president of the league, a voluntary association representing approximately 85 percent of the volume of fresh-market table grapes and deciduous tree fruit grown in California.
J. Brendan Comito, chief operating officer of Capital City Fruit Inc. in Norwalk, IA, in 2003, with his father, Joe, and his family, won United's Produce Industry Advocate of the Year Award for their advocacy before Congress and support of United's political outreach programs.
Reggie Griffin, corporate vice president of produce and floral for The Kroger Co., began his career at Kroger in 1969, working part time while attending college. He is a past chairman of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, past president of the Houston Fruit & Vegetable Association and currently serves on the board of the Produce Marketing Association.
Victor Smith, chief executive officer of Fresh Innovations LLC in Yuma, AZ, formed the firm in 2003 to focus on specialty vegetable items including green onions, radishes and leeks using proprietary processes for automating and mechanizing labor-intensive crops to enhance food safety and quality.
Timothy R. Vaux, director of food-industry relations for DuPont Crop Protection in Fresno, CA, provides leadership and strategic direction for DuPont's relations with the U.S. fruit and vegetable industry. He is the founder of the United Produce Industry Leadership Program, established and funded by DuPont since 1995. He previously served on the United board of directors and executive committee, and is now nominated for a new term on the board.
In addition to the new board members, the following current board members will continue service on the board: Rick Antle of Tanimura & Antle Inc.; Ron Carkoski of Four Seasons Produce; Chuck Ciruli of Ciruli Brothers/AMEX Distributing; Rick Cooper of Del Monte Fresh Produce; Matthew D'Arrigo of D'Arrigo Bros. of New York; Jan DeLyser of the California Avocado Commission; Walter A. (Drew) Duda Jr. of A. Duda & Sons; Jan Fleming of Strube Celery & Vegetable Co.; Robert A. Grimm of Grimmway Enterprises; Mark G. Hilton of Harris-Teeter Supermarkets; Howard A. Leach of Taylor Farms; Jim Lemke of C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc.; Frank X. Padilla of Costco Wholesale; John Shelford of Global Berry Farms; Walter Strickland of Strickland Produce; Sherrie Terry of Chiquita Fresh North America; Hugh Topper of H.E. Butt Grocery Co.; Fred Williamson of Andrew & Williamson; and Michael Wootton of Sunkist Growers Inc.
Board members who will complete their terms of service at the May convention are Robert J. Gordon of FreshPoint Inc.; Michael J. Kemp of Save-A-Lot; and Michael J. Stuart of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association.
Also concluding board service is Karen B. Caplan of Frieda's Inc., immediate past chairman, who served as chairman of the board during United's 100th anniversary, and who was the first woman to chair the association in its history.
