Congratulations to Steffanie Smith, CEO of River Point Farms LLC, Hermiston, OR, who is nominated to begin service as United Fresh Chairman of the Board at the upcoming United Fresh 2010 convention in Las Vegas. Steffanie was named CEO of River Point Farms in October 2007 after serving as president of the Deli/Prepared Foods Division of Taylor Farms, one of the largest fresh-cut vegetable suppliers to the foodservice industry. Prior to that she served as president of Pacific Pre-cut Produce for 10 years before it was acquired by Taylor Farms in August 2005.

Congratulations also to Reggie Griffin, corporate vice president, produce and floral merchandising and procurement, The Kroger Company, Cincinnati, OH, who is nominated to serve as Chairman-Elect, and become Chairman in April 2011. Reggie began his career at Kroger in 1969, working part-time as a produce clerk and bagger while attending college. He joined the company’s management training program in 1972, and since moved upward in responsibility in produce, merchandising, and operations during posts in Paris and Memphis, TN, Murray, KY, Houston, Corpus Christi and Dallas, TX and Los Angeles before becoming corporate director of produce & floral in the Cincinnati headquarters office in 1999, and vice president in 2001.

United Fresh officers for 2010-2011 will also include Immediate Past Chairman Jim Lemke, C.H. Robinson Worldwide and Secretary-Treasurer Mike Cavallero, Dole Food Company.

In addition to officer appointments, 11 industry leaders have been nominated to join the Board:

Market Board/Council Seats:

• Will Steele, President and CEO, Frontera Produce LTD, Edinburg, TX, is nominated to serve as Vice Chairman of the Grower-Shipper Board.
• Ron Carkoski, President and CEO, Four Seasons Produce, Inc., Ephrata, PA, is nominated to serve as Vice Chairman of the Wholesaler-Distributor Board.
• Randy Scott, Category Manager, Food Lion LLC, Salisbury, NC, is nominated to serve as Vice Chairman of the Retail-Foodservice Board.
• Walter Ram, Vice President Food Safety, The Giumarra Companies, Nogales, AZ, is nominated to serve as Chairman of the Food Safety & Technology Council.

At Large Members:

• Dan’l Mackey Almy, DMA Solutions Inc., Irving, TX
• Paddy Callaghan, Nature’s Best, Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland
• Emily Fragoso, Coast Produce Company, Los Angeles, CA
• Roger Pepperl, Stemilt Growers Inc., Wenatchee, WA
• Ivan Tarriba, Farmer's Best International, Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
• Bruce Peterson, Peterson Insights, Bentonville, AR
• Greg Wohlleb, Bunzl Distribution Inc., Louisville, KY

"I'd like to congratulate all these individuals on their nominations and look forward to working together to advance our great industry," said United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel. "I'd also like to especially thank our Immediate Past Chairman Tom Lovelace, McEntire Produce, for his service on the Board for many years and for a great job chairing the Board Development/Nominating Committee this year."

For detailed background information about all of the Board nominations, please click here.