Superfresh Growers promoted Conner O’Malley to the role of president. In his new position, O’Malley will lead sales, operations, marketing, production management and grower relations for the company.

“Conner is a gifted leader and has an unparalleled work ethic. At Superfresh Growers, he has been instrumental in cultivating a team-centric mindset. He is empathetic, a clear communicator, and embraces our culture,” said Robert Kershaw, CEO.

“The culture at Superfresh Growers is that of servant leadership," said Kershaw. "This is when the organizational chart is turned upside down, and the president works to serve everyone else. This culture permeates how we treat teammates, growers, and customers. It takes humility to embrace this culture and genuinely enjoy helping and seeing others succeed. If you truly enjoy seeing your growers, customers, and teammates around you successful, then magical things can happen. Conner thrives in this culture, and I enjoy seeing how others have embraced his leadership.”

Kershaw is enthusiastic about the future of Superfresh Growers with O’Malley at the helm. “He has a unique knack for seeing the bigger picture and planning for the future with people, customers, and growers in mind. As the Kershaw family’s sixth generation and other emerging leaders of this company move into management, he is the bridge to the future.”

O’Malley is an expert in produce, with experiences in farming practices, fruit specifications, manifests, technology and variety development. He specializes in strategic planning for Superfresh Growers and its long-term sustainability, looking ahead to five, 10 and 20 years.

The company said O’Malley excels in all operational aspects of retail support, including forecasting, promotional activities, merchandising, replenishment, quality control, logistics and accounting. During his time on the sales team, he built transparent and trust-filled relationships with customers across the Superfresh business, including retail, food service, wholesale, e-commerce and export.

“I have the privilege of standing on the shoulders of some industry veterans that came before me,” said O’Malley. “It is an honor to support and work alongside such a hard-working team of men and women. I look forward to the great things we will accomplish in the years ahead, aiming towards the common goal that we share with our grower and retail partners: to increase consumption and feed more people fresh fruit.”

O’Malley takes the reins from his predecessor, Tim Lane, who is set to retire later this year after leading Superfresh Growers for 25 years. “Tim has been a mentor, coach, and friend throughout my career. I certainly would not be where I am in my career today without him, and I don’t think I will ever have the knowledge he possesses. His competitive drive will continue to fuel me and many others,” said O’Malley.