IFPA kicks off 2022 Washington Conference

John Groh, publisher

September 27, 2022

WASHINGTON, DC — The International Fresh Produce Association kicked off The Washington Conference on Sept. 26. Following a day of industry council meetings and the inaugural Produce Economic Forum, attendees convened for an opening reception at the Grand Hyatt Washington, in a downtown neighborhood of the nation’s Capital.

Robb Bertels of Gold Coast Packing and John Baillie of The Jack T. Baillie Co.

Bob and Betsy Morrissey of the National Watermelon Association with Michael Muzyk of Baldor Specialty Foods Inc.

Tony Mitchell of Associated Wholesale Grocers, Brett Libke of Oppy, Kevin Steiner of Sage Fruit and Joe Merenda of Misionero.

Andy Kimbrel (center) of Crunch Pak with Eric Regnier and Greg Gatzke of ZAG Technical Services.

Marianna Solorio and Emily Musgrave of Driscoll’s, Helena Beckett of Giddings Berries USA, Kristen Reid of Mixtec and Claudette Quevedo Valdez of Driscoll’s.

Jim Koelsch and Jason Hollinger of Four Seasons Produce flank Dan Hedeen of Pacific Coast Fruit Co.

Kimberly Houlding of the American Olive Oil Producers Association, Justin Bartlett of Legacy Labor and Johnna Hepner of iFooDS.

Colleen Fagundus of IFPA with Mary Coppola Heslep and Leah Halverson of Ten Acre Marketing.

John Groh

About John Groh |

John Groh graduated from the University of San Diego in 1989 with a bachelors of arts degree in English. Following a brief stint as a sportswriter covering the New York Giants football team, he joined The Produce News in 1995 as an assistant editor and worked his way up the ranks, becoming publisher in 2006. He and his wife, Mary Anne, live in northern New Jersey in the suburbs of New York City.