The Pundit will be in San Diego for the Produce Marketing Association convention, where we’ll have the privilege of hosting the annual invitation-only “Rising Star Reception,” honoring the recipients of the Annual PRODUCE BUSINESS 40-under-Forty Award and welcoming to the industry the 2006 Pack Family/PMA Career Pathways Fund Fellows. This year we will also be welcoming a special group of young vegetable farmers from Australia and New Zealand.
I want to thank everyone for the, literally, hundreds of invitations to parties, receptions, to do interviews and view products. We’ll try our best to do as much as we can. Pundit special projects editor and investigator, Mira Slott, will be there as well as the PRODUCE BUSINESS staff to help see everybody and everything.
A Pundit Policy: We politely decline all offers to attend events “off the floor” that conflict with official PMA activities, including the trade show. These vendors paid a lot of money to exhibit, and our trade associations depend on these shows as modes of support — we should support the enterprise. Besides, if we are really paying attention to the opportunities available, you can’t possibly finish the show in the allotted hours.
If you only bought a floor pass to the show, here is a tip: Upgrade to a total access pass so you can see everything. General sessions, workshops, seminars and networking events are really the key to getting the most out of the event. It is penny-wise and pound-foolish to invest your time in San Diego but not give yourself total access.
The Pundit will be at the PRODUCE BUSINESS booth # 4341 a great deal during the show so, please, feel free to drop by and say hello. If you would like to make a formal appointment, just send an e-mail and we’ll try to work it out. I’m staying at the Marriott Marina on Harbor Drive right next to the convention center.
The Pundit will continue on its normal publication schedule during the show.
