Leadership

	Print Article
	Send Article
	Respond
	Permalink
	Share Article

	del.icio.us
	Diigo
	Digg This
	Fark
	Mr. Wong
	Mixx
	Newsvine
	Propeller
	Reddit
	Simpy
	Slashdot
	StumbleUpon
	Technorati
	MySpace
	Facebook
	Twitter

Pundit’s Mailbag — Leadership received a letter from an industry member who is frustrated by what he calls the “spreadsheet mentality” of some key industry operatives. There is no question that the industry has a lot of up-and-coming leaders, by any objective standard, there are more leaders, better trained, than ever before. Yet, there is a core of truth in what this reader writes. Many of the sharpest people in the industry today are MBA-types, aces with the spreadsheet but, in some cases lacking passion for the product. Corporate support for involvement in industry affairs is the key. There are plenty of good people, the challenge is in getting their organizations to support them. 8/21/2006

Pundit's Mailbag — Consumer-Focused in our piece, Being Consumer-Focused we mentioned how at virtually every food industry conference, speakers all repeat that we have to be consumer-focused, we have to serve the consumer, on and on. Yet in actual execution, we find that consumers are generally ignored or viewed in a very limiting way. These comments brought a supportive note from Richard Kaiser with The Richard Kaiser Company who agrees that “being consumer-focused is more about making the consumer want what you are trying to sell them, rather than listening to what they need and want. Somewhere in all this, there is a kind of intellectual leap that great executives take in which they stop thinking narrowly of the consumer and start associating themselves with the hopes, dreams and aspirations of that consumer. 8/23/2006

Pundit's Mailbag — More On Leadership following our recent pieces on leadership, a lot of people wrote to say that while they thought young people were doing incredible things in the business, not much was being done in terms of industry and association leadership. What these letter writers are speaking to is a disagreement about the kinds of companies that should have industry leadership roles. The problem really comes about as a result of weak associations, desperate for the affiliation of major companies and important people, that they advance them too quickly to important leadership posts without proper vetting. PMA and the existing industry leaders must be sure that the people proposed for leadership positions have both a willingness to work on behalf of the whole trade and that their company is committed remaining involved and supporting its employees in leadership. 8/25/2006

Pundit’s Mailbag — Where’s The Passion? recognizes the issue of leadership is hot controversy. A correspondent writes today saying: “I think this discussion of leadership is missing the metaphysical, almost religious nature of leadership. What is often missing in our industry leaders is “passion” in terms of genuine care for this great industry.” I think there is a long-term trend in which the business is becoming less important to its participants. Part of it is societal. There are fewer people who were born to the trade and, even more important, fewer people who are certain their children will wind up in the business. That reduces commitment levels. I hope that people with passion will rise to the top and help us lead the industry, but I also hope that the professional staff of industry organizations develop the kind of institutional support so that every leader doesn’t have to be a superstar. 9/6/2006

Best Wishes To United Fresh Produce Association announces The United Fresh Produce Association now exists, a consequence of the merger of the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association and the International Fresh-cut Produce Association. The merger concentrates resources and should operate more effectively than either did alone. Over the years people have bandied about the idea of a merger between PMA and United. It may happen one day, but it is doubtful it would be better. In every other facet of our economy, we find that competition produces better outcomes. Why should association management not also benefit from robust competition? This is a substantial industry, filled with passionate and devoted people who want to be part of industry leadership. Multiple outlets for this kind participation is perhaps more than enough to compensate for some operational inefficiencies. 9/14/2006

Pundit’s Mailbag — United Responds recalls an earlier piece we wrote about the launch of the new United Fresh Produce Association here, and then the industry almost immediately became engulfed in the spinach E. coli outbreak. Tom Stenzel, President and CEO of the new United, stole a few minutes to send the Pundit a note. One thing is for sure, the industry response to this problem or any other problem depends crucially on volunteer leadership. Emanuel Lazopoulos, Senior Vice President, North America Sales, Marketing and Product Management at Del Monte Fresh and the incoming Chairman of the United Fresh Produce Association, also reflects on the passion that leadership requires. 9/18/2006

Pundit’s Mailbag — Spezzano Defends DiPiazza/Wal-Mart received a note from Dick Spezzano, once Chairman of PMA and for many years VP of Produce at Von’s, regarding the Pundit’s piece on the state of Wal-Mart and Bob DiPiazza’s resignation from Sam’s. Seeing Dick Spezzano and Bob DiPiazza’s names intertwined like this reminds me of the “good old days” when these gentlemen were leading PMA and the regional retailers they worked for. They, along with a few others, were the true fonts of innovation, passion and leadership in the trade. It is also true that they did all this while maintaining their spirited personalities. In fact, as we’ve run our Pundit series on leadership here, here and here, and we’ve heard from so many readers about a style of leadership gone, we often remember the passion these gentlemen brought to everything, that passion is still with Dick as he sticks up for his friend. 11/10/2006

Pundit’s Mailbag — Wild Oats’ Harris Talks About Mentorship identifies one of the consistent themes we have dealt with here at the Pundit is leadership. It is the one constant that applies across all the issues that confront the industry. Today we have another letter on the subject from Don Harris Vice President of Produce and Floral for Wild Oats Markets, Inc. What is interesting about leadership is that it requires a certain amount of heart. A company can order its employee to serve on a board or to run an in-house training program, yet you can’t order someone to be a leader or a mentor, because the key thing that defines a leader or a mentor is the way others perceive you. The industry is now filled with training programs, honors and much more to train and celebrate leadership. Yet, true leadership is bound to be just beyond the reach of any training programming. 11/17/2006

Tim York Takes Leadership Role In Food Safety Crisis reports that we’ve been dealing extensively with the Buyer-led Food Safety Initiative. Growing out of initial conversations between Dave Corsi of Wegmans and Tim York of the Markon Cooperative, the Buyer-Led Food Safety Initiative was quickly endorsed by nine important buying organizations, now another 10 important retailers have added their signatures to the letter, all of whom we list here. Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor, Mira Slott, talked to Tim York to get an update on the progress of the Buyer-Led Food Safety Initiative. 11/21/2006

The Perishable Pundit’s Unsung Heroes Award as we prepare for Thanksgiving, it seems appropriate that the industry should give thanks to those who perform yeoman’s service for the trade. So on this Thanksgiving Eve, we launch a new occasional series for the Pundit highlighting people who do important and valuable work, but are not often recognized. In the aftermath of the spinach crisis, it wasn’t even close to select our first three honorees. In this situation, there were also countless hours of difficult, technical work. Discussions with government agencies, with industry technical teams and much more — all to get the spinach re-start up and going. Many staff members contributed to this, of course, but our Unsung Heroes were the ones who really carried water for the trade through this technical process. 11/22/2006

Tim Vaux Reflects On DuPont, Leadership And Jeff Gordon our piece, Tim Vaux To Leave DuPont, brought an outpouring of interest and concern from the many who have participated in United Fresh’s Produce Industry Leadership Program. Here is an assortment of responses, some sent directly to the Pundit and others that Tim shared with us, of the things people are saying about Tim. With such strong concern, we followed up with Tim to gain a perspective on his years with Dupont and the future of the Leadership program. 2/23/2007

Pundit’s Mailbag — Stenzel Speaks Out On Food Safety And Food Dudes our piece, A Tip Of The Hat For Stenzel, brought a thank you note from Tom Stenzel plus a commentary on both the state of legislative interest in the produce industry and efforts to increase produce consumption. These new more sophisticated approaches bode well for the industry as we struggle to create safer product, grow consumption and build a stronger industry. Initiatives like these also require an industry infrastructure, and that requires dedicated volunteer leadership at all levels, local to international, in many organizations, including United. Volunteering is intimidating at first and seems like a tremendous sacrifice. Yet, we’ve known many of the most involved volunteer leaders and we’ve never met one who didn’t feel he got more out of volunteering than he ever put into it. 3/8/2007

Far Above Cayuga’s Waters…. …is where an important segment of industry leadership will be heading this weekend and the fact that 40 industry executives, and the companies behind them, have made this commitment is probably the most positive statement that can be made about the state of the produce industry. Many years ago when United started its Leadership Development Program, nobody fully realized how important that program would be to the industry. If there was any doubt, the outpouring of affection for Tim Vaux as he left Dupont, United’s partner in the program, confirmed its value. The 40 students this year will one day be seen as the first in a long line of classes, and they will take special pride in having been on the Cornell campus at this very first iteration of the United Fresh Produce Executive Development Program in March of 2007. Your humble Pundit will be proud to have been there with them. 3/9/2007

NRA Stands Defiant points out we’ve been following the activities of the National Restaurant Association on fresh produce and food safety. NRA intends to announce new food safety standards at the end of March which will reject the sufficiency of the standards about to be adopted as the accepted Good Agricultural Practice document under the California Marketing Agreement. Why is NRA doing this when the produce industry is more than willing to work with NRA? Maybe because an association in between leaders can easily see its agenda hijacked. The CEO of the NRA resigned. All this change is not conducive to true leadership. Right now the superficial appeal is to “be strong” and position NRA as demanding food safety from its suppliers. True food safety, as with true leadership, is more complex. 3/9/2007

NRA Adopts Leafy Greens GAP Metrics assures that the produce industry got very lucky here. We were able to get wind of what was going on early enough to bring enough pressure so that NRA didn’t follow its original plan, which was to announce a fait accompli at its conference, in which 25 major chains would have already signed off on the GAP standards that had been drafted by the Food Safety Leadership Council. Donna Garren and Peter Kilgore, Acting Interim President and CEO of the NRA, along with other key NRA executives, deserve much praise for coming out in the right place. A willingness to change course when the facts demand it is a leadership quality much to be desired. 4/1/2007

Pundit Special Edition A Big Win for the Industry proclaims the industry’s primary response to the spinach/E. coli crisis of last fall, the use of a California Marketing Agreement to provide a form of mandatory regulation for leafy greens, has emerged triumphant. and has won virtually unanimous support in California. The concerted efforts of industry leadership turned it all around. Decisions in favor of the agreement by the National Restaurant Association and by the top executives of Fresh Express represent great acts of leadership. That this highly fragmented industry has been able to gather around this initiative says an enormous amount about what true leadership can accomplish and gives just cause for an optimistic attitude about what the industry can achieve if it can maintain its focus on food safety. 4/1/2007

Colin Powell To Speak At PMA Convention reveals this year PMA is changing the schedule of its annual trade show, Fresh Summit. The switch to a Saturday, Sunday, Monday show from the longtime Sunday, Monday and Tuesday show was driven by attendee and exhibitor input. The opening party will now be Friday night and the first General Session will be a Friday luncheon at 1:00pm. To make sure everyone has plenty of motivation to get there on time, PMA has retained a headline caliber speaker: “The Honorable Colin L. Powell, military leader, political icon, speaker, and author of his best-selling autobiography “My American Journey”, will draw from his own experiences and those he obtained as an eyewitness to leadership to convey what he believes are the necessary elements for leadership success. He will speak about effective strategies to gain control of change and crises and the notion that being a leader is far more than a bestowed title.” 5/23/2007

United Fresh Leadership Class Of 2007-2008 reveals that, with the generous funding of DuPont Crop Protection, United has announced the 13^th Leadership class. This program is unique, and we’ve never heard one participant who didn’t think it worth the not insignificant commitment to participate in the program. Congratulations to the new class, appreciation to their companies for allowing them to be a part of the program and thanks to both DuPont and United for funding and operating the program. The individuals who complete the program know that they have benefited, but the whole industry also benefits when members of the trade acquire the skills to become leaders of the trade. 5/30/2007

Association President Needed In Southern California reminds that our industry institutions always require good leadership, so we would like to take a moment to draw everyone’s attention to one of our Pundit advertisers. See that red box flashing along the right side of this page? It is an advertisement for “Executive Employment Opportunity” and “Regional Trade Association Seeks President.” This is an important position to be filled, and it will put some lucky candidate in a place to make a real difference in the industry. And you get to live in sunny Southern California. 7/13/2007

Tim York Recognized For Food Safety Leadership describes what was surely the most predictable and the most deserved award given this year, Tim York, President of Markon Cooperative, was chosen as The Packer’s Foodservice Man of the Year. Tim spearheaded the Buyer-Led Food Safety Initiative. Tim didn’t have to lead this effort. He had already been chairman of the board of PMA, and nobody could have said that he hadn’t done his bit for the trade had he done nothing at all. Yet Tim was possessed by a steely resolve to see right done and he did what a man secure in the virtue of his cause is compelled to do. In so doing, he both substantively moved ahead the industry’s agenda on food safety and provided an example for us all of the power of one man with a righteous cause. 7/18/2007

Meet United’s Executive Committee as key decisions are likely to be made in the near future, especially on issues such as PMA/United Merger, the leadership group of the national trade associations is crucial. In general the boards of the associations depend heavily on the executive committees, and members place great weight on the recommendations of the association’s executive committees. So we wish this year’s crew for United all the best. “Our members and the produce industry are fortunate to have these outstanding individuals serve in this leadership capacity,” Chairman Emanuel Lazopoulos said. “Both the Executive Committee and full Board of Directors are committed to industry service in shaping our association’s policies, programs and priorities to best meet the industry’s needs.” 9/7/2007

Fantastic Friday remarks that it goes without saying that trade shows offer all kinds of value to participants. Yet, perhaps the most common mistake made in the industry is to value trade shows while neglecting the plethora of activities that surround them. Just to get a flavor for what you are missing, here are just some of the things going on in Houston the day before the trade show — a day we’ve dubbed Fantastic Friday. “Fresh Perspective: A Women’s Leadership Event”, where women leaders from around the globe will meet, mingle and hear an uplifting and entertaining presentation from a woman who has excelled in her field and will motivate you to do the same. And the Luncheon General Session headliner this year, General Colin L. Powell, who answers the question: What does it take to be a great leader? 9/26/2007

Scholarships Offered To Attend PMA Leadership Symposium In 2008 reveals that come January 2008, PMA, Cornell University and PRODUCE BUSINESS magazine will partner to present a very special event: This year’s PMA Leadership Symposium. PRODUCE BUSINESS magazine has partnered with Grimmway Farms and Mann Packing to make a special scholarship opportunity available for four fortunate industry executives, two each from the retail operator and the foodservice operator end of the industry. The scholarship is all-expenses-paid, and this program will ensure that the PMA Leadership Symposium will draw on the intellectual capital of all segments of the trade. If you fit the criteria, or know someone who does, this is an opportunity to attend a program that will take attendees out of the box of “industry thinking”. 11/7/2007

PMA Leadership Symposium Scholarships Announced recalls that in November, we announced a scholarship program for retailers and foodservice executives to attend the upcoming PMA/PRODUCE BUSINESS/Cornell University Leadership Symposium in Dallas. The nominations are in, the judges have deliberated, and we are pleased to announce the four winners of all-expense-paid scholarships to attend. We know they will gain much from the program as they will contribute much by being part of the learning and networking that goes on in the classroom, the meal functions, as well as in the (slightly upscale) university-like atmosphere that develops when 100 produce industry executives take over the Symposium’s new venue, the Omni Dallas Hotel. 12/19/2007

Produce Leadership For All Ages shares that we just returned from PMA’s Leadership Symposium in Dallas, a unique event in the industry in that it encourages out-of-the-box thinking by bringing in speakers who have no particular expertise in produce. While in Dallas, we had a chance to chat with Matthew Enny, a category management analyst out of the Salinas, California office of Duda Farm Fresh Foods. He was the recipient of the first Produce Marketing Association Education Foundation (PMAEF) young professionals’ scholarship to attend the Leadership Symposium. As we listened, we thought that his willingness to credit others with his success was a sign of strong character. He kept some notes on a blog about the Leadership Symposium, and we thought he had some interesting thoughts that reveal how a young industry executive experiences these events. 1/23/2008

Tim York Will Chair Center For Produce Safety mentions we noted the launch of the Center for Produce Safety here and the appointment of an interim Executive Director here; now we are pleased to mention the appointment of Tim York, President of Markon Cooperative, as Chairman of the Board of Advisors of the Center for Produce Safety. Tim has become an indispensable asset for the produce trade. After serving as chairman of a national association, many would feel they did their bit for the industry. Yet Tim took a leadership role in the resolution of the trade’s food safety crisis — an activist activity for which we named him one of the winners of our Single Step award. Tim York is thus chairing the board of an organization that is exceptionally consequential to the future of the industry. We wish him every success. 1/23/2008

United’s New Board Structure: Is It A Brave New World Or Déjà vu All Over Again? reports that as United Fresh is building steam in preparation to open its convention in Las Vegas. Simultaneously it announced a new volunteer leadership structure and new board leadership. The new structure is a substantial change, and though it may be new, the Board leadership is composed of tested veterans. The Pundit once ran a strategic planning process for United, and so we know the stresses and strains that a new structure such as this is trying to contain. On the one hand, the very essence of United’s name is that it seeks to find common ground in the industry; on the other hand, each industry segment has its own interests and its own agenda. 4/30/2008

Tursi Leaves Wal-Mart For Seald Sweet amidst our frequent discussion of change at Wal-Mart, we have chronicled the exodus of produce expertise and leadership from its executive ranks. Now comes word that Steve Tursi, Merchandise Manager for Vegetables at Wal-Mart, has submitted his resignation as well. He is going to be joining Seald Sweet, working out of New Jersey. Back in June 2005 Steve was the recipient of a PRODUCE BUSINESS 40-under-Forty award. Pundit sister publication, PRODUCE BUSINESS, said of him at the time: “He is an original member of the Southeast Produce Council and also dedicates time and commitment to educating current and future produce leaders by participating as a repeat guest lecturer at the Cal Poly Agriculture Business School.” He is also a United Leadership Program graduate. For a man not yet 40, a brighter future lies in trying new things. 5/30/2008

Senator Harkin Calls For Reform Of FDA’s Food Safety System reveals how late in the evening on July 15, 2008, we received a nice note from Adela Ramos, Senator Tom Harkin’s point person on ag issues, alerting us to a letter his office sent concerning the Salmonella outbreak. Senator Harkin deserves every commendation for sending this letter. Iowa is not a major tomato growing state. Sure there are wholesalers, repackers and retailers in Iowa that deal with tomatoes, but still, all Senators are very busy people and the Gentleman from Iowa could have easily elected to sit this one out. That he did not shows a true measure of leadership for which a grateful nation owes its thanks. Congress can get answers that the industry simply cannot, and the knowledge that important Congressional leaders such as Senator Harkin are concerned and will be pursuing these matters makes a cover up at FDA less likely. 7/17/2008

Scholarships Available To Industry Through Tip Murphy Legacy Fund in our piece a Tribute to Tip Murphy, we mentioned that the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent was to be the home of a new Tip Murphy Legacy Fund. The purpose of the fund is to furnish scholarships to various PMA and PMA Foundation for Industry Talent events. Although the Fund is now undertaking fund-raising to build a permanent endowment, it is still going to give out one scholarship this year. This scholarship provides free registration and hotel to the winner’s choice of premier PMA and PMAFIT events. Depending on membership status, which event the winner chooses and the number of days in the hotel, this scholarship can be worth in excess of $5,000! Here are the details. 11/4/2008

PMA FIT Kicks Off New Year With Leadership Symposium announces the newly named Produce Marketing Association Foundation for Industry Talent has a new board of directors and will be led by Bill Schuler, President and Chief Executive Officer with Castellini Company. It is an all-star cast and their very first event is the annual Leadership Symposium. now being presented by a partnership of Cornell University, Pundit sister publication PRODUCE BUSINESS magazine and the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent. The Leadership Symposium is a truly unique event in the annual calendar of the produce industry. It is the only event at which none of the speakers are selected for their knowledge about the produce industry. As such, it is the only event that solely is devoted to bringing new ideas into the trade. 12/3/2008

Perishable Thoughts — What Is Leadership? reports that when challenged as to how the appointment of numerous long-time veterans in both national security and finance could in fact be a harbinger of the “change” candidate Obama promised Americans, the president-elect explained that he would, personally, be the force for change in his administration. Which sets us up perfectly to look at today’s Perishable Thought by Dwight D. Eisenhower — one of several quotes that have been sent on by Scott Danner, Chief Operating Officer, Liberty Fruit Co., Inc., which addresses the nature of leadership. 12/3/2008

PMA FIT Awards 1^st Tip Murphy Scholarship: Michael Engeman Of LaManna In Australia To Attend Leadership Symposium in honor of Tip Murphy the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent established the Tip Murphy Legacy Fund. The goal of which is to establish a permanent endowment of $250,000 by 2012 to fund scholarships in perpetuity. Scholarship recipients’ will participate in current and future PMA and foundation leadership development programs. The winner of the very first Tip Murphy Scholarship for Leadership Excellence is Michael Engeman of La Manna Group Australia. Of course, if the fact that the award-winner of a PMA scholarship is an Aussie shows what a big world this produce industry has become, the fact that Michael’s CEO worked closely with Tip shows how small the industry is. 12/9/2008

Leadership Symposium Offers Stimulating Speakers Michael Engeman of the La Manna group, who won the Tip Murphy Scholarship for Leadership Excellence, focused in on two of the topics at the upcoming Leadership Symposium The presentation Michael mentioned on “empowering business culture” will be presented by Polly LaBarre who co-authored “Mavericks at Work.” Michael’s interest in “leveraging the individual strengths of a multi-generational talent pool” will be satisfied by Cam Marston who wrote “What’s In It For Me’ Workforce: Managing Across the Generational Divide”. We thought that it might be useful if we took a look at the other two presenters at the Symposium and focus here on one with a remarkably eclectic work situation. So we asked Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott to find out more from Rod Beckström, Director, National Cyber Security Center at the US Department of Homeland Security. 12/18/2008

Learn From The Masters At Leadership Symposium describes an unusual event offered through a partnership between PMA’s Foundation for Industry Talent, Cornell University and Pundit sister publication, PRODUCE BUSINESS magazine, the Leadership Symposium, which will be held January 14-16, 2009, at the Omni Dallas Park West in Dallas. In order to get more insight into what the speakers have in store, we asked Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott to speak with one of the presenters, Executive Coach, Strategic Facilitator and Author, Tony Jeary. 12/25/2008

Dan Vache Joins United Staff recalls how as a youth on the Hunts Point Market the Pundit first met Dan Vache as he was climbing the rungs toward VP of sales with Ryan Instruments. Now we receive word that Dan has signed on for a new career with United: “Vache will fill the newly established position of vice president, supply chain management, leading the association’s effort to deliver education, hands-on tools and direct services to assist companies throughout the fresh produce supply chain in meeting challenges in transportation, cold chain management, information technologies, traceability, facilities management, energy efficiency, packing and packaging needs and related areas.” 1/7/2009

DMA’s Philanthropic Anniversary Celebration remembers how a few years ago, we received word that Dan’l Mackey Almy was going to start her own company. DMA Solutions — after Dan’l Mackey Almy — and its purpose was marketing and business development for the produce industry. Time travels fast and, yes, it has been half a decade since DMA was launched. As fellow entrepreneurs, we thought a hat tip was in order especially because DMA Solutions decided to commemorate its quinquennial anniversary with five charitable donations, one for each year in business. Two of those donations are headed to industry leadership programs from PMA and United. 4/17/2009

Costco’s Heather Shavey And Frieda’s Karen Caplan Honored At United Fresh writes this year’s Women in Produce event at United honored Costco’s Heather Shavey, a veteran, with a quarter century of continuity with Costco, she has become one of the most powerful women in produce. Heather is quite representative of what we see as a future filled with women in the produce trade. Since Karen Caplan organized the first Women in Produce reception in 1995 there have been 12 honorees. It is interesting because most of these honorees were either entrepreneurs or had family ties to the business. It is only a few people, including Heather, mostly working for large companies or organizations that have begun to demonstrate a different path — one more likely to lead to large numbers of women in leadership roles in the industry. 4/28/2009

Deadlines Approaching For PMA Events/Contests/Award Nominations shares that PMA and the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent (PMA FIT) have recently been bombarding our in-box with deadlines and upcoming events. We thought we would run through a few of these upcoming events here, including a game of golf in honor of Tip Murphy. The proceeds from this event will help to build the Tip Murphy Legacy Fund, which was created by Ready Pac, Chiquita, Paramount Citrus and Naturipe Farms to honor Tip’s life and his 15-year career in the produce industry. This fund supports the Tip Murphy Scholarship for Leadership. 8/11/2009

Loss Of Two Industry Leaders — Bob DeBruyn And Frank McCarthy shares how one of the special joys of going to industry events each year is the opportunity to see old friends. Yet each year, when we head off to PMA looking forward to reunions, we are also confronted with the sometimes bracing reality of reunions that have been held for the last time. Now, as we prepare to head off for Anaheim, we received word of two other friends who will not be there. Bob DeBruyn was an unassuming man but one of great achievement. His DeBruyn Produce Company quietly grew into one of the largest and most diversified onion suppliers in the country. We also got news that Frank McCarthy had passed away. Frank is no stranger to the readers of these pages, having weighed in on diverse issues. His frequent advice to this Pundit certainly made both the Perishable Pundit and sister magazine, PRODUCE BUSINESS, more lively and intelligent. 9/22/2009

Integrity In Produce — How Unique Is Our Industry? recalls how back in 2003 Basil Mills joined with Monterey business consultant, Jim Bracher, to launch the Salinas Valley Agribusiness Integrity-Centered Leadership Program. Its goal was audacious: to make the ag-focused training program in Salinas into a national model. It seemed well worth a follow-up, so we asked Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott to find out more from James Bracher, Founder & Chairman of Dimension Five Consultants Inc. We confess to finding in Mr. Bracher’s interview a charming, yet quite disputable, notion that we are all in this together and share with him a warm regard for the people of this industry. 10/30/2009

Business Expert David Nour Speaks At Leadership Symposium explains that each year, the PMA FIT Leadership Symposium—presented in partnership with Cornell University—provides the industry with a unique form of leadership development. Last year, we previewed the Leadership Symposium by running some interviews with the 2009 speakers. This year we wanted to profile a speaker who arrived in the US with a suitcase, one hundred dollars and without speaking any English… and has built a very successful career specializing in something he calls “relationship economics.” We asked Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott to get a little preview of his approach. 1/5/2010

PMA FIT’s Leadership Symposium Brings Talent And Education To Dallas explains that, in addition to the regular attendees who participate in PMA FIT’s Leadership Symposium, a few special attendees also take part in the event due to special scholarship arrangements. Each year, Pundit sister publication, PRODUCE BUSINESS, and co-partners, Grimmway Farms and Mann Packing, sponsor a scholarship program that brings retailers and foodservice operators to the event. Now for 2010, we can announce this year’s winners. All five of this year’s award recipients are primed both to benefit from the program and, by contributing their diverse experiences, contribute to the program. 1/11/2010

PR In The Produce Industry in many recent controversies affecting the trade, Gary Caloroso, recognized by sister publication PRODUCE BUSINESS as one of its 40 under Forty industry leaders, was a quiet giant working behind the scenes to help present the industry in the best possible light. Upon hearing that Sahlman Williams Public Relations and Marketing announced that Gary was named the company’s new president, we thought it was high time to pull Gary from the shadows and ask him to speak out on the intersection of food marketing, technology, food safety and the future. We asked Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott to chat with Gary. 1/28/2010

Hope To See You At United Fresh/Cornell Executive Development Program asks if you are busy March 14th through the 19th? If you can spare a little time, there is no more productive use of that time than to head off to Ithaca, New York, and attend The United Fresh Produce Executive Development Program. There will be some industry stars, but mostly the program is taught by an interdisciplinary team of ace Cornell professors, hand-selected by Ed McLaughlin, the Robert G. Tobin Professor of Marketing and Director, Undergraduate Business Program, and the dean of academics with an ear on the marketing end of the produce industry. Now here is the thing: there is exactly one chair left in the class of 2010. 3/5/2010

Wal-Mart Swaps Strategy For Tactics saw that Business Week ran an article titled: "Wal-Mart and the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Consumer”. The piece discusses why the US Wal-Mart stores reported negative comps for the 4th quarter. It also notes that Sam’s Club comps were up 0.7% during the same period. The article also pointed out was that customer traffic was down. The piece cited food deflation and speculated that Wal-Mart’s core customer was living “week to week” as to the reason why. Our own assessment is that Wal-Mart’s leadership has become increasingly tactical, identifying a short-term problem and jerry-rigging a solution rather than developing an alternative strategic approach to the one Sam Walton detailed. 4/16/2010

Watch History Being Made At United In Las Vegas: Steffanie Smith Becomes First Ex-Staffer Ever To Chair The Organization; Kroger’s Reggie Griffin Is Set Up To Become First Retailer To Chair United describes how this year’s United Fresh convention and expo is filled with terrific presentations and wonderful networking opportunities. Inevitably it will bring to the fore the conversation of a possible merger between PMA and United. The forces driving a merger have not dissipated. Much as it took Nixon to go to China, it may well take a retailer to deliver a merger among the associations. 4/19/2010

Industry Owes Debt Of Gratitude To Cindy Seel For Her Work At PMA FIT revisits how in the fall of 2006, we ran, PMA Foundation Prepares To Launch, which included a brief reference to the then-newly established foundation’s executive director: Cindy Seel. Cindy left the foundation that became PMA FIT in early March. Cindy living in Atlanta and PMA being headquartered in Newark, Delaware, required much travel. We also suspect that organizational changes at PMA, which served to tie the Foundation closer into PMA’s organizational structure, made the job more difficult for someone working remotely. As the Foundation prepares for its first Board Meeting since Cindy’s resignation, we thought it worth mentioning what an incredible job she did. 4/27/2010

Qualities Of Leadership recalls that over the years, we have done a great deal on the issue of leadership. Now we would like to extend a hat tip to Ed Kershaw, CEO at Domex Superfresh Growers, for sending us a piece on Leadership. He calls it “the best article I have ever read on Leadership.” It is called “Solitude and Leadership” and ran in The American Scholar. It was originally a lecture delivered to the Plebe Class at the United States Military Academy at West Point. In the piece the author, William Deresiewicz, tries to distinguish between high achievers and true leaders. Here are a few pointed excerpts. 4/27/2010

Last Chance To Recognize Young Leaders describes how over the past five years, Pundit sister publication, PRODUCE BUSINESS, has done an annual recognition of the trade’s young leadership with its 40-Under-Forty issue. In an attempt to both recognize young leaders and inspire those following behind them, the 40-Under-Forty recipients are unveiled annually in the June issue of PRODUCE BUSINESS and then feted, along with the Pack students, at a special invitation-only reception at PMA each year. We look for individuals who contribute to their companies, their peers, their industry and their community. We are now accepting final nominations for this year’s honorees. You can download a nomination form right here. 4/27/2010peers, their industry and their community. We are now accepting final nominations for this year’s honorees. You can download a nomination form right here. 4/27/2010

The Great PTI Leadership Let-Down our piece, Problems Persist With PTI, brought a response from a man who has been in the forefront of the trade’s traceability efforts, Bruce Peterson, now President of his own consultancy under the name Peterson Insights. Bruce ends his thoughtful letter by saying it is a matter of leadership that has left PTI to drift, and we would agree.  To us, it has echoes of the discussions over proposals last year for a generic promotion order, an industry-wide proposal, which would have needed mass support to succeed, but was negotiated in secret and then “explained” to everyone. If great produce retailers and foodservice companies would have required PTI compliance, it would have become ubiquitous. Without that requirement, PTI is no standard at all. 5/11/2010

“You’ve Restored Our Faith In Humanity” Award shares an anecdote of a teenage Pundit whose wallet was once lost and returned in Manhattan. The story helps to illustrate how every once in awhile, something happens in this industry that also serves to buttress our faith in humanity. Such an event happened at the Las Vegas convention of the United Fresh Produce Association, and it prompts us to offer the first ever Perishable Pundit “You’ve Restored Our Faith In Humanity” Award. 5/11/2010

A Salute To Joe Pezzini As He Steps Down From California Leafy Greens Group reveals that Joe Pezzini, Vice President of Operations at Ocean Mist Farms, has stepped down as founding Chairman of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement. His retirement brings to an end the most consequential service to the trade rendered by a volunteer leader in the last decade. To Joe Pezzini: A hat tip… a deep bow… and a round of applause for a job well done. The man and the moment met. Lucky for us all. 5/13/2010

Pressing The Reset Button On PTI saw that the executive committees of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, Produce Marketing Association and the United Fresh Produce Association have come out with a joint statement supporting the PTI concept, eating a little crow as to how it was presented and making some minor changes to the deadlines. If this doesn’t work, don’t blame Danny Dempster, Bryan Silbermann or Tom Stenzel. Execution here will require leadership from industry members. The question is: Will that leadership be forthcoming? No association press release can answer that question. 5/25/2010

Limited Scope Of Recent Recalls Is Testament To Industry Leadership mentions how in the midst of the outbreaks of the past six weeks, the industry has hard evidence of how truly brilliant has been its leadership. The truth is there is little about the Freshway Foods Romaine recall that was different from what happened at Natural Selection Foods that led to the great spinach crisis of 2006. The big difference is that the FDA has responded differently. That is not an accident. A big chunk of the credit goes to the produce industry leadership recognizing that the key issue was that FDA had no faith in the trade. 6/11/2010

Students From Farming Communities Beware: America’s Elite Universities Have A Bias Against You  describes how organizations such as the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent have missions that include making young people aware of the opportunities that exist for them to work in the produce industry. There may be a bigger opportunity for this than we realized as a new study indicates that many students from farm families and from the broader farm culture are not particularly valued at some of America’s most elite colleges. 7/20/2010

Joe Nucci, Tip Murphy And Opportunities To Play Golf, Raise Money And Honor Two Good Men reports that this Friday the 2010 PMA Foundation for Industry Talent Golf Tournament, which benefits the Nucci Scholarship for Culinary Innovation, is scheduled. The scholarship is in honor of Joe Nucci who died at only 40 years old and was in line to become Chairman of PMA and was President and CEO of Mann Packing. Also, the second annual Tip Murphy Memorial Golf Tournament will be taking place on Monday, September 20, 2010, at the Oasis Golf Club in Loveland, Ohio in honor of Terrence “Tip” Murphy, a 15-year veteran of the produce industry. Tournament proceeds support the Tip Murphy Scholarship for Leadership Excellence, a scholarship program managed by the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent to aid industry professionals seeking to advance their leadership skills and better serve the industry. 7/27/2010

Remembering Jack Pandol marks the passing of Jack Pandol, who was one of the most important and memorable giants in the produce industry. Jack was responsible for more than most realize. As soon as he passed, letters started rolling in. Here we publish notes from Richard A. “Rick” Eastes, Supplier Manager at Market 52; Bruce Obbink, Former President of the California Table Grape Commission and Bryan Silbermann, President and CEO of the Produce Marketing Association, who all join us in sharing our memories of a true leader in the California table grape industry. 8/10/2010

Is PMA’s Foodservice-Conference Success A Sign Of The Economy Turning Around Or A Sign Of Shippers Looking For Alternatives From Their Primary Channels? finds that PMA sent out information highlighting a true triumph at its largest-ever PMA Foodservice Conference, and also touting the unprecedented  volunteer leadership exhibited and the future talent attraction programs offered as a part of PMA’s Foundation for Industry Talent (FIT). Of course, kudos to PMA for putting on such an attractive event. We wonder, though, what to make of such high registration numbers. 8/10/2010

Retail “Thought Leaders” Panel Announced For The New York Produce Show And Conference explains that one amazing thing is how the produce community of New York and the broader mid-Atlantic region has joined in support of The New York Produce Show and Conference. Attendees will see this support on Wednesday morning, when the keynote breakfast highlights a selection of retail thought-leaders from across the region. Yours truly will engage these retail thought-leaders in an invigorating discussion on the state of the industry and how we can work together to enhance our mutual success. The following leaders of the retail produce trade in the region are scheduled to participate in the Retail “Thought Leaders” Panel, the marquis presentation at the general session breakfast on the morning of November 10, 2010. 8/10/2010

Famed Food Writer Joan Nathan To Speak At New York Produce Show And Conference mentions that we are pleased to have an opportunity to introduce to the industry a speaker who we are honored to feature at The New York Produce Show and Conference: Joan Nathan, a distinguished author, lecturer, curator and television host. As a kind of preview of the role that produce has played in her culinary and professional, we asked Mira Slott, Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor, to find out more. 8/30/2010