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.

The National Mango Board in Orlando, FL, strives to affect the foodservice arena and provide restaurants with the tools they need to create excellent mango dishes. This year, the board organized a day with Chef Allen (The Mango Man) Susser for Sodexho and The Cheesecake Factory. The board will also be partnering with Sodexho in the spring and summer of 2009. It will wrap up the year by participating at the International Foodservice Editorial Council conference and updating the foodservice section of Mango.org.

Lain Jager has been appointed chief executive officer of Zespri Group Ltd. following five months as acting CEO. Before that, he served as the firm's human resources manager and general manager of its supply chain.

The board of directors of the Newark, DE-based Produce Marketing Association's Foundation for Industry Talent took office at the close of PMA's 2008 Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition in Orlando, FL, in October. Chairman of the Board Bill Schuler, president and chief executive officer of Castellini Co. in Newport, KY, is joined on the 2008-09 board by three other officers and 17 directors to lead next year's foundation activities.

The Washington Apple Commission announced Dec. 4 that Todd Fryhover was selected as the organization's next president. Mr. Fryhover formally takes the reins Jan. 1, but he is already working with Interim President Ken Severn to facilitate a smooth transition.

Mr. Fryhover is a native of Wenatchee, WA, the city where the commission is headquartered. He graduated from the University of Idaho with an agricultural and business degree. He has 20 years of industry experience, having worked for several leading apple shippers.

Launched this past spring, the produce industry has a new credit reporting and marketing web site. Blue Book Online Services, at www.bluebookprco.com, is the latest offering from Blue Book Services and follows the very successful Electronic Blue Book on CD-ROM.