It has been a while since we last heard from Pundit correspondent Tom O’Brien, and now he writes to comment on our piece, Single Step Award Winner — Dave Corsi Of Wegmans Food Markets.
Dave’s answers are a testament to why Wegmans was voted the Number One company in the nation to work for. Their passion for their employees and customers starts with Danny Wegmans and continues down to the part-time clerk and their suppliers.
The American grower has had many roadblocks thrown in front of them and they have always stepped up to the plate and knocked the roadblocks down. Food safety will not be just one battle but a never-ending battle that we must stay on top of every day of the year.
Growers, food service and retailers working together will win this battle — it is too important not to! This is our life and our passion to grow safe and healthy fruits and vegetables.
— Tom O’Brien
C&D Fruit & Vegetable Company
Bradenton, FL
Leadership is one of the enduring themes of the Pundit; we’ve wrestled with such issues many times. Dave’s rise to industry prominence does raise the question of what kind of milieu, what corporate culture encourages both excellence to rise and industry commitment to play out.
Yet Tom also reminds us that leadership takes many forms, and some soldiers fight under the radar screen. In the end, food safety is one of those things. The success of the battle ultimately depends on growers all across America waging silent war against indifference and ignorance on matters related to food safety.
Tom even provides some motivation in reminding us that we are all proud to sell healthy fruits and vegetables and, of course, it can’t be healthy if it isn’t safe.
Many thanks to Tom for his pointed letter.
