Chiquita makes management changes at Fresh Express
Chiquita makes management changes at Fresh Express
Cincinnati-based Chiquita Brands International Inc. announced July 14 that it has made a series of senior management changes, among them that its board of directors has elected Tanios Viviani, 44, as president of Fresh Express.
Chiquita acquired Fresh Express -- a U.S. market leader in value-added salads -- last month.
Mr. Viviani joined Chiquita in 2004 as vice president of Chiquita's fresh-cut fruit division. He has now assumed the position formerly held by Mark Drever, who has moved to Chiquita to participate in the Chiquita management committee to assist in the transition and help guide the overall strategic direction for value-added produce.
Mr. Viviani said that the biggest challenge Fresh Express faces is driving growth in its fresh-cut salads to the level of salad dressing. Fresh-cut salads still is a young category with room for growth, he said.
"Personally, I want to ensure that I can translate my business experience to fresh produce," Mr. Viviani said.
Mr. Viviani has more than 23 years of professional experience, beginning his career as assistant operations manager for a pasta factory in Brazil, and later moving into sales and marketing. After that, he joined Procter & Gamble as an assistant brand manager in Puerto Rico, and during his 16 years at P&G held a variety of marketing, sales, advertising and general management positions in the United States, China and Brazil.
Mr. Viviani studied economics in Brazil, earned his MBA degree from the University of Akron and is an executive scholar of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Fernando Aguirre, chairman and chief executive officer of Chiquita, credits Mr. Viviani with helping to turn around operations at Chiquita's fresh-cut fruit division, taking this business to a leadership position in the Midwest.
Mr. Drever, 48, said that while he has enjoyed working at Fresh Express for the past 17 years, he's happy to be able to reduce his active, day-to-day involvement and yet participate in a senior strategic role with Chiquita.
Chiquita also named the Fresh Express management team, all of whom will report directly to Mr. Viviani. Brian McLaughlin will continue as chief financial officer of Fresh Express. Fresh Express Executive Vice President Scott Komar will assume additional responsibilities for the operations group. Fresh Express' Rich Berry (vice president of business management), Jim Gallagher (senior vice president of sales) and Jeff Lemmon (also vice president, business management) will continue and expand their sales, marketing and business management responsibilities.
Jim Lugg will continue to lead the TransFRESH business as president. John Johnston -- vice president of emerging business and manager of the fresh-cut fruit operations at Fresh Express -- will assume increased responsibilities for leading and integrating the fresh-cut fruit operations of both organizations under the "Chiquita brand name. Chiquita also announced that Susan Ajeska (executive vice president for operations/food safety) and Margaret Scattini (marketing/business management) have voluntarily decided to stop full-time employment but will continue to serve the company as part-time advisors.
Chiquita acquired Fresh Express -- a U.S. market leader in value-added salads -- last month.
Mr. Viviani joined Chiquita in 2004 as vice president of Chiquita's fresh-cut fruit division. He has now assumed the position formerly held by Mark Drever, who has moved to Chiquita to participate in the Chiquita management committee to assist in the transition and help guide the overall strategic direction for value-added produce.
Mr. Viviani said that the biggest challenge Fresh Express faces is driving growth in its fresh-cut salads to the level of salad dressing. Fresh-cut salads still is a young category with room for growth, he said.
"Personally, I want to ensure that I can translate my business experience to fresh produce," Mr. Viviani said.
Mr. Viviani has more than 23 years of professional experience, beginning his career as assistant operations manager for a pasta factory in Brazil, and later moving into sales and marketing. After that, he joined Procter & Gamble as an assistant brand manager in Puerto Rico, and during his 16 years at P&G held a variety of marketing, sales, advertising and general management positions in the United States, China and Brazil.
Mr. Viviani studied economics in Brazil, earned his MBA degree from the University of Akron and is an executive scholar of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Fernando Aguirre, chairman and chief executive officer of Chiquita, credits Mr. Viviani with helping to turn around operations at Chiquita's fresh-cut fruit division, taking this business to a leadership position in the Midwest.
Mr. Drever, 48, said that while he has enjoyed working at Fresh Express for the past 17 years, he's happy to be able to reduce his active, day-to-day involvement and yet participate in a senior strategic role with Chiquita.
Chiquita also named the Fresh Express management team, all of whom will report directly to Mr. Viviani. Brian McLaughlin will continue as chief financial officer of Fresh Express. Fresh Express Executive Vice President Scott Komar will assume additional responsibilities for the operations group. Fresh Express' Rich Berry (vice president of business management), Jim Gallagher (senior vice president of sales) and Jeff Lemmon (also vice president, business management) will continue and expand their sales, marketing and business management responsibilities.
Jim Lugg will continue to lead the TransFRESH business as president. John Johnston -- vice president of emerging business and manager of the fresh-cut fruit operations at Fresh Express -- will assume increased responsibilities for leading and integrating the fresh-cut fruit operations of both organizations under the "Chiquita brand name. Chiquita also announced that Susan Ajeska (executive vice president for operations/food safety) and Margaret Scattini (marketing/business management) have voluntarily decided to stop full-time employment but will continue to serve the company as part-time advisors.
