Beth Bland Oleson, has been with the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association since 2005. She is currently the director of education where she directs the Georgia GAP Food Safety Program and coordinates all educational activities including the association’s three-day educational conference at the annual Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Beth serves on United’s Food Safety & Technology Council and has been active in the industry initiatives for GAPs Harmonization and the development of the Tomato Metrics. Before joining GFVGA, Beth was the marketing director for Island Tomato Growers on John’s Island, SC. She is a “double-dawg” from the University of Georgia with an undergraduate degree in agricultural communication/public relations and a master’s degree in food science.

Craig Cahill director of perishable logistics for the Allen Lund Company, has a broad knowledge of the transportation industry including supply chain management (software and technologies, warehousing, consolidation), multiple modes, regulation, legal environment and more. From 1996 to 2002 Craig was manager of the Boston office of the Allen Lund Company. Prior to this role, he worked in various roles including produce transportation manager for C.H. Robinson-Boston. Craig has served on a number of panel and study groups for the FDA, as well as United Fresh and other industry groups, and he has presented supply-chain analysis to various produce industry commissions. Craig has a Bachelor of Science from Washington & Jefferson College.

Megan Chedwick, Church Brothers' director of food safety, oversees all of the company's corporate food safety programs, the creation and implementation of food safety policies and procedures, as well as the ensured compliance of Church Brothers growers and customers to accomplish the common goal of growing and selling safe products. Megan graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a bachelor's degree in agricultural business and is currently pursuing a Food Science Certificate from Washington State University. She currently serves on several different food safety boards and committees, including the United Fresh Food Safety & Technology Council, the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, and the Grower-Shipper Association.

Joe Cimino, procurement director for PRO*ACT, was born and raised in Salinas. Being part of a fourth-generation produce family made getting involved in the industry seem like a natural fit.  In 2000, Joe joined PRO*ACT as a product manager purchasing row crops. He then transitioned into the role of procurement manager and in 2007, was promoted to director of procurement and is responsible for managing the procurement, quality and logistics departments as well as supplier relations and contract negotiations. Prior to joining PRO*ACT, he held positions with Cimino Bros. and the Tom Lange Company. Joe is an alumnus of United's Produce Executive Development Program and in 2008, he was honored as one of Produce Business' 40 Under 40.

Anthony DeAngelis brings more than seventeen years of industry experience to his position as Northeast Division director for Christopher Ranch. Anthony started his career in the produce industry with Christopher Ranch in 1994 and then served in the fresh-cut side of the business as senior regional sales manager for Ready Pac, before returning to Christopher Ranch in 2003 to assume his current role. Anthony is an active member of several regional produce industry organizations, and also serves on the PMA Government Affairs Committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public and Mass Communications from The College of New Jersey. At home he has also has been active in youth competitive soccer, coaching his daughter’s Travel Club Team for several years.

Mark DeCosta, produce buyer for Costco Wholesale started with Costco in 1997 following his graduation from the University of California, Riverside with a bachelor's in business administration. Holding multiple positions throughout the company, Mark has been involved in the produce department for the last 12 years. In his role a produce buyer, he is responsible for the procurement of melons, mushrooms and the fresh-cut category for all U.S. locations, and he assists in the international procurement efforts for Costco in their other seven countries. Additionally, Mark oversees the reorder staff and all produce distributed through Costco's Midwest division. 

Brian Jenny is the director of business development for Naturipe Farms, LLC, a grower-owned, year-round producer of berries. In this role, he manages sales in the eastern part of the country. Prior to starting with Naturipe, Brian spent seven years at Monterey Mushrooms as a member of the sales team. Brian got his start in the produce business in 1996 as a summer intern at Naturally Fresh while attending graduate school, before taking a full time position in January of 1997. Brian is a graduate of Clemson University, where he received a bachelor's of science in agricultural economics.

Shannon Kyle's role at Torrey Farms encompasses produce sales, marketing and food safety. Growing up in a 12th-generation farming family encouraged Shannon towards a career in produce, and she counts many family members among her industry mentors and role models. Shannon holds a bachelor's degree in Applied Economics and Management with a specialization in Farm Business Management and Finance from Cornell University. During college she worked in Congressman Thomas M. Reynolds office where she analyzed data on legislative issues dealing with immigration and healthcare. She was a Food Marketing Institute Fellow and a Farm Credit Fellow and recently served on the United Fresh Member Relations Task Force.

Michael Muir is the director of sales for Muir Copper Canyon Farms, a distributor of fresh produce and specialty foods to foodservice customers in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. A sixth-generation Muir in the family produce business, Mike has been instrumental in the development, marketing and integration of new produce products to various segments of the foodservice industry. He has been especially successful at introducing new produce products to the K-12 school segment. Mike holds a bachelor's in international studies from the University of Utah, as well as an MBA from Westminster College.

Sheridan Silver is the director of purchasing at Salinas-based Mann Packing Company, where he is responsible for the strategic direction of the value-added supply chain for vegetables, packaging materials, maintenance parts and supplies. Additionally, he is in charge of the receiving department. Prior to his tenure at Mann, he worked at Front Line Strategic Consulting, a division of Tree Top, where he was a managing consultant, overseeing food and consumer products projects. His additional professional experience includes time with Sabroso, as a senior purchasing manager, and Dioptics Medical Products, as an associate product manager. Sheridan holds a bachelor's degree from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA.

Sam Stewart, who works in sales for WES Pak Sales, Inc., began working for the family-owned grower, packer and shipper of California stone fruit at the age of fifteen. Starting in the cold storage division, he worked various jobs, slowly gaining responsibility. While attending college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Sam worked summers as a shipping point inspector for The Fresh Connection, a Bay Area export company. After graduating with a bachelor’s in agribusiness, Sam stayed in San Luis Obispo with Martines Fruits & Vegetables, a snow pea and snap pea shipper. After a year with Martines, Sam took the opportunity to come back and work for the family at WES Pak.

Ross Verner is the director of produce for Topco Associates LLC, a privately-held cooperative that provides procurement, quality assurance, packaging and other services for its member-owners, which include supermarket retailers, food wholesalers and foodservice companies. Ross got his first exposure to produce early in his career as a store director for Brookshire Brothers, LTD in Texas. Throughout his career, Ross has held various positions in category management, brand development and management, marketing and sales. Ross returned to the produce industry when he joined Topco and in his current position, he is responsible for leading multiple initiatives, including procurement strategies and brand development programs. Ross is a graduate of Texas A&M, where he received bachelor's degrees in both marketing and management.