Recent executive hires settling in at Naturipe
Recent executive hires settling in at Naturipe
In recent months, Naples, FL-based Naturipe Farms LLC, an international grower-owned producer and marketer of foods, added four new faces to its team in key positions.
Those hires are Mohinder Sikka, senior director of operations; Michael Bentel, director of food safety and quality assurance; Richard Burden, director of transportation; and Robin Doran, director of communications.
Mr. Sikka brings more than 10 years of experience delivering process design and operational improvements to companies such as General Motors Corp. and The Home Depot Inc. He joined Naturipe in mid-August and uses the company's Salinas, CA, office as his base of operations, reporting to Michael McCartney, vice president of operations.
Prior to joining Naturipe, Mr. Sikka served as a consultant to the fresh produce industry, including a six-month stint in 2006 during which he performed an analysis of Ballantine Produce Co. Inc.'s use of radio-frequency identification in its supply chain management. Mr. Sikka also has served as a consultant to C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. and Tanimura & Antle Inc. on RFID cold-chain solutions and traceability. Over the past three years, he has delivered global traceability solutions and cold-chain monitoring to the perishable industry and to biopharmaceuticals.
Mr. Sikka has extensive experience in supply chain management, including having served as senior product manager at i2 Technologies, a full-service supply chain company that provides consulting, technology and managed services. While at i2, he worked with General Motors on sequencing more than 6 million of its vehicles annually at General Motors' 28 North American plants.
Mr. Sikka manages warehouses and business processes for Naturipe with an eye toward reducing shrink and aging of product in an effort to "match the fast-moving market with supply," he said. He will be tasked with optimizing business software provider SAP's transportation and supply-chain management platforms.
Mr. Bentel joined Naturipe in August as director of food safety and quality assurance. He is responsible for assuring that the essential elements of the company's products are monitored, including food quality, food safety, food security, label and packaging design and standards, palletizing and shipping protocols, and Good Agricultural Practices at the farm level. Mr. Bentel has 16 years of experience with Walmart, most recently in developing specifications and quality processes for perishable items. As a regional quality-control manager over the past three years, he has managed a group of quality- control professionals in multiple locations throughout the United States.
Mr. Burden joined Naturipe in August as director of transportation. He is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating and maintaining transportation services on a global scale for the company. He is also responsible for the supervision of the day-to-day activities of the transportation personnel throughout the company. Mr. Burden has 25 years of experience in transportation; he works from Naturipe's office in Salinas and reports to Mr. McCartney.
Ms. Doran joined Naturipe in October as director of communications. Her primary function is to direct and manage strategic planning, development and implementation of all integrated corporate communications programs. She will develop and implement public and media relations and advertising programs, manage relationships with all varieties of media, and help to develop all communications to align with corporate branding and missions.
Ms. Doran has more than 12 years of experience working in the area of marketing and public relations. Most recently, she worked as a principal at Doran Communications. She has much experience handling public relations in the wine industry. Ms. Doran works from Naturipe's office in Salinas and reports to Robert Verloop, vice president of marketing.
Those hires are Mohinder Sikka, senior director of operations; Michael Bentel, director of food safety and quality assurance; Richard Burden, director of transportation; and Robin Doran, director of communications.
Mr. Sikka brings more than 10 years of experience delivering process design and operational improvements to companies such as General Motors Corp. and The Home Depot Inc. He joined Naturipe in mid-August and uses the company's Salinas, CA, office as his base of operations, reporting to Michael McCartney, vice president of operations.
Prior to joining Naturipe, Mr. Sikka served as a consultant to the fresh produce industry, including a six-month stint in 2006 during which he performed an analysis of Ballantine Produce Co. Inc.'s use of radio-frequency identification in its supply chain management. Mr. Sikka also has served as a consultant to C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. and Tanimura & Antle Inc. on RFID cold-chain solutions and traceability. Over the past three years, he has delivered global traceability solutions and cold-chain monitoring to the perishable industry and to biopharmaceuticals.
Mr. Sikka has extensive experience in supply chain management, including having served as senior product manager at i2 Technologies, a full-service supply chain company that provides consulting, technology and managed services. While at i2, he worked with General Motors on sequencing more than 6 million of its vehicles annually at General Motors' 28 North American plants.
Mr. Sikka manages warehouses and business processes for Naturipe with an eye toward reducing shrink and aging of product in an effort to "match the fast-moving market with supply," he said. He will be tasked with optimizing business software provider SAP's transportation and supply-chain management platforms.
Mr. Bentel joined Naturipe in August as director of food safety and quality assurance. He is responsible for assuring that the essential elements of the company's products are monitored, including food quality, food safety, food security, label and packaging design and standards, palletizing and shipping protocols, and Good Agricultural Practices at the farm level. Mr. Bentel has 16 years of experience with Walmart, most recently in developing specifications and quality processes for perishable items. As a regional quality-control manager over the past three years, he has managed a group of quality- control professionals in multiple locations throughout the United States.
Mr. Burden joined Naturipe in August as director of transportation. He is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating and maintaining transportation services on a global scale for the company. He is also responsible for the supervision of the day-to-day activities of the transportation personnel throughout the company. Mr. Burden has 25 years of experience in transportation; he works from Naturipe's office in Salinas and reports to Mr. McCartney.
Ms. Doran joined Naturipe in October as director of communications. Her primary function is to direct and manage strategic planning, development and implementation of all integrated corporate communications programs. She will develop and implement public and media relations and advertising programs, manage relationships with all varieties of media, and help to develop all communications to align with corporate branding and missions.
Ms. Doran has more than 12 years of experience working in the area of marketing and public relations. Most recently, she worked as a principal at Doran Communications. She has much experience handling public relations in the wine industry. Ms. Doran works from Naturipe's office in Salinas and reports to Robert Verloop, vice president of marketing.
