August 29, 2023 – Newark, DE and Washington DC – The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) BB #:378962 has announced the slate of new officers and directors for the 2024 IFPA Board of Directors.
The volunteer leaders will be confirmed by a ballot shared with membership. This group will begin its board service at the 2023 Global Fresh Produce & Floral Show, October 19-21, in Anaheim, California.
The IFPA Board of Directors is guided by the Executive Committee, which will be led in 2024 by current Chair-Elect John Anderson, Chair, CEO and Managing Partner of Oppy. Current Board Chair Laura Himes, Vice President of Sourcing – Fresh for Walmart will assume the role of Past Board Chair.
Both Anderson and Himes will take the stage in Anaheim at the Global Produce & Floral Show in October to share their reflections on IFPA accomplishments in 2023 and what members can expect from the organization in 2024.
Joining the Executive Committee are 2024 Chair-Elect Tammy DeBoer, President of Harris Teeter; Secretary-Treasurer Clint Lewis, CEO of AgroFresh Solutions, Inc.; and two at-large Executive Committee members from the current Board roster: current Fresh-Cut Processor Council Chair Judy Clark, CEO of Fresh Texas, and retiring Secretary-Treasurer Patrick Vizzone, Managing Director and Head of Agri-Food and Impact Investment for Franklin Templeton Global Private Equity.
IFPA Foundation for Fresh Produce Chair Alex DiNovo, President and COO of DNO Produce, also joins the Executive Committee, succeeding current Foundation Chair Martha Hilton, Vice President of Produce and Floral Merchandising for Wegman’s. Hilton will serve as a director on the IFPA Board.
“I’ve served on many industry volunteer leadership groups over the years, and this is, by far, one of the most diverse and wide-ranging Boards I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” said 2023 Chair-Elect Chair John Anderson.
“In order to grow IFPA members’ prosperity and move toward creating a vibrant future for all, it requires diversity of thought and representation. The incoming board will be a near 50-50 balance between male and female leadership and has a worldwide footprint in terms of companies that are U.S.-based, U.S.-based with global operations, and those who are based entirely outside the U.S.”
“I cannot wait to tackle the big issues facing our member community with this group. I greatly appreciate the contributions of the Leadership Development Committee, led by current Past Chair Bruce Taylor, for their diligence in collaborating with the Board to develop the ballot and slate,” Anderson added.
The new Board slate for 2024 is:
• Brazil Council Chair Alex Lee, Commercial Director, Rio Bonito Orgânicos, São Paulo, Brazil
• Grower-Shipper Council Chair Mark Campion, President, Taylor Farms Retail, Salinas, California, USA
• Foodservice Council Chair Chip Walker, President and CEO, SSi LLC/PRO*ACT, Monterey, California, USA
• Mexico Council Chair Adelina Metodieva, CEO, Zeliotech Mineral Fertilizers, Cuernevaca, Mexico
• Supply Chain Council Chair Steve Alaerts, Director, Foodcareplus NV, Antwerp, Belgium
• Sustainability Council Chair Rachel Depree, Head of Sustainability, Zespri, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
At Large Representatives
• Tim Bulow, President and COO, Mission Produce, Oxnard, California, USA
• Hein Deprez, Co-CEO, Greenyard, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
• Dr. Elliott Grant, CEO, Mineral (an Alphabet Company), Mountain View, California USA
• Lam Lin, Group Strategy Lead, Joy Wing Mau Group, Shenzen, China
• Anna Lopez, Vice President of Produce, H-E-B Grocery, San Antonio, Texas, USA
• Ruth McLennan, Chief Merchant Cold Storage, The DFI Group, Singapore
• Bas Pellenaars, Commercial Director LATAM, Dümmen Orange, Miami, Florida, USA
• Oleen Smethurst, Vice President of Produce, Loblaw, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• Rodolfo Spielmann, President and CEO, NatureSweet, San Antonio, Texas, USA
Board directors completing their service in Anaheim are:
• Melissa Ackerman, CEO, Planet Harvest
• Amelie Aust, Owner, Board Vice-Chair, Fall Creek Farm & Nursery
• Ernesto Cardona, CEO, Austral Trading
• Nikki Cossio, Founder & CEO, Measure to Improve LLC
• Jose Antonio Gomez, CEO, Camposol
• Jamey Higham, President and CEO, Idaho Potato Commission
• Jeff Huckaby, CEO, Grimmway Enterprises, Inc.
• Zak Lafitte, President, Wonderful Citrus
• Gilson Lucato Jr., Commercial Director, Citricola Lucato
• Dan Mathieson, CEO, Zespri International
• Julie Olivarria, Vice President, Produce, Sysco Corporation
• James Rogers, CEO, Apeel Sciences
• Debora Steier, Vice President of Floral, Albertsons Companies
• Bruce Taylor, CEO, Taylor Farms
• Debby Walker, Vice President, Purchasing & Analytics, Darden
• Dorn Wenninger, Senior Vice President of Produce, UNFI
• Drew Zabrocki, General Manager, Value Chain Insights & Interoperability, Semios
About the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)?is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support. We exist to bring the industry together to create a vibrant future for all. We grow our member’s prosperity by conducting advocacy; connecting people and ideas; and offering guidance that allows us all to?take action?with purpose and confidence.
Contact: Ashley Sempowski, ASempowski@freshproduce.com +1 (202) 303-3406
