The Southeast Produce Council will honor Joe Klare of The Castellini Co. with its highest honor at the council's annual conference and trade show, known as Southern Exposure, scheduled to take place March 3-5, 2016, at the Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, FL.

"The board of directors chose Joe Klare in a unanimous vote to receive the Terry Vorhees Lifetime Achievement Award," SEPC Executive Director David Sherrod told The Produce News Tuesday, Nov. 3. "From our perspective, Joe has not only been so active in the industry but also in the Southeast Produce Council. He's always been a strong proponent of the council. He believes in what we're doing and a good friend of the council. He's one of our biggest cheerleaders."Joe Klare of The Castellini Co., shown with his wife, Linda, will be honored with the Southeast Produce Council's Terry Vorhees Lifetime Achievement Award at Southern Exposure 2016. (Photo courtesy of the Klare family)

The award will be presented to Klare on Saturday, March 5, during Southern Exposure's keynote lunch.

Reached later Tuesday afternoon at his home in Ft. Thomas, KY, Klare said that he was shocked, excited and extremely humbled when he received the news from the Southeast Produce Council.

"I'm very, very honored," he told The Produce News. "It's a wonderful privilege and honor to be thought of that highly by that group."

Bobby Creel of L&M Cos. Inc., headquartered in Raleigh, NC, has been strongly involved with the Southeast Produce Council since its earliest days and is a longtime friend of Klare.

"I broke the news to Joe, and for the first time in 20 years, he was speechless," Creel told The Produce News. "He was honored, and he was humbled."

Creel described Klare as "a top businessman," adding, "He's great with his customers, he's great with his suppliers. He's just a first-class guy."

Creel continued, "I've watched Joe grow his business and watched his involvement with the Southeast Produce Council. He's always helped the council in any way he could." Regarding Klare's family, Creel noted, "Joe has a big family, and family is so important to him. His wife, Linda, takes good care of him. They make a great team."

Klare joins a distinguished group of individuals who have received the award over the years. Joe McGee of the L&M Family of Cos. was the first recipient back in 2008, followed by Ferdinand S. Duda of A. Duda & Sons Inc. in 2009; Peter Pero III of Pero Family Farms in 2010; Tommy Irvin, a former Georgia commissioner of agriculture, in 2011; Reggie Griffin, retired from The Kroger Co., in 2012; Paul J. DiMare Sr. of DiMare Inc. in 2013; Tom Page, retired from Supervalu, in 2014; and Terry Vorhees, the SEPC's first executive director, who received the award posthumously in 2015.

Joseph Neal Klare was born Oct. 20, 1949 in Covington, KY, and was raised in the area. He graduated from Newport Catholic High School in 1967. He joined the U.S. Army Reserves in 1967 and served for about five years.

He began his produce career with The Crosset Co. (now part of the Castellini Group of Cos.) in 1965 while he was in high school, working on the switchboard from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m., Klare recalled. He continued at The Crosset Co. during summers while he was in high school.

He worked at The Crosset Co. until January 1971, "when I was hired by Bob Castellini in produce sales and procurement" for The Castellini Co., said Klare. He continued to learn, develop and gain expertise over the years at The Castellini Co., and this January will mark 45 years with the company, where he currently is executive vice president while still involved in sales and procurement.

"Bob gave me an opportunity that many others wouldn't have when I was young," Klare stated in looking back at his rewarding career. "Bob took me on and mentored me, not only on the produce industry but in life's lessons. The Castellini Co. is just like family. I've been very blessed."

Klare met his future wife, Linda, in 1966 while they were in high school. They dated for about two years, and were married in May 1970. They have seven children (two sons, Joe and Jeff, are with Persevere Produce in Avon Lake, OH) and 13 grandchildren. He has two brothers in the produce industry: Jerry, who is a sales executive with The Castellini Co., and Jeff, who is general manager and executive vice president at Club Chef, which is The Castellini Co.'s processing division. He also has one sister, Patty. His oldest brother, John, died in the fall of 2014.