VIP dinner kicks off Southern Innovations 2023
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Southeast Produce Council kicked off Southern Innovations 2023 with the VIP dinner Wednesday evening, Sept. 13, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, here.
Tim Graas of Associated Wholesale Grocers and chairman of the SEPC board of directors welcomed everyone to the event, where they all had an opportunity to enjoy the hall's exhibits.
The dinner was held one day prior to the official opening of Southern Innovations, taking place Sept. 14-16, 2023, at the Charlotte Convention Center, a new venue for the council.
Mark Hilton, a past president of the Southeast Produce Council, and Stephanie Hilton of Tom Lange Co.
Faye Westfall of Where the Food Comes From/CBC3 Media with Raina Nelson of Westfalia Fruit USA.
Jane Narwold of Sutherland's Foodservice Inc. with Julia Estess of RPE LLC.
Shelby White-Cotrell and Joel Cotrell of Harps Food Stores.
Clark Roper and Ella James Roper of Chick-fil-A.
Bobby Creel, Derek Ennis and Ben Wells of L&M Cos.
Harold Paivarinta of Red Sun Farms with Sabrina Pokomandy of Highline Mushrooms.
Mike Tipton and Susan Tipton of Schnuck Markets.
Ginny and Garry Bergstrom, retired from Publix.
Candy and Steve Pinkston, retired from Sunny Valley International, with Blair Greenhill of Nickey Gregory Co.
Tim Graas, chairman of the SEPC board of directors, welcomed everyone to the VIP dinner.
Front: Kari Cordero and Nicole Nelson of Merchants Distributors with (back) Bobby Creel and Ben Wells of L&M Cos. and Matt Zapczynski of MDI.
Gordon Hochberg
About Gordon M. Hochberg | 
Gordon M. Hochberg was born in New York City, and grew up in Westchester County, NY. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from Lafayette College in 1973.
He started his career at The Produce News in the late 1970s, and has been with the publication ever since.
He served on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Agricultural Society from 2012 to 2018. He currently serves on the Southeast Produce Council’s Board of Governors.
He enjoys music, theater and reading (American and ancient history are his favorites). And he’s been a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees since attending his first game in the late 1950s. He and his wife, Kathi, have been married since 1974.
