Pennsylvania-based I Love Produce appointed Adrian Almeida CEO. He has more than 20 years experience at Sensei Ag and Nature Sweet. Eric Frasse was promoted to I Love Produce president. He has been with the company for 15 years, most recently as vice president of sales.
The International Fresh Produce Association announced the 29th leadership program class. Participants are Michelle Alo, vice president of marketing at Kings River Packing; Daniel Baldin, senior category manager produce and floral at Longo Bros. Fruit Market; Matthew Collins, purchasing director at Markon Cooperative Inc.; Marissa Dake, vice president of marketing and partnerships at DNO Produce; Amber Gray, account manager at Wild Hive; Justin Guibert, sales and purchasing manager at Christopher Ranch; Joel Hewitt, vice president of sales at CMI Orchards; Bianca Kaprielian, CEO and president at Fruit World Co.; Joseph Klick, director of produce management at Naturipe Farms LLC; Wyatt Maysey, director of sustainability at Taylor Farms; Megan McKenna, senior director of marketing and foodservice at National Watermelon Promotion Board; and Stephanie Tramutola, marketing director at A&J Produce Corp. Launched in 1995, more than 330 individuals have participated in the year-long advocacy, communications and leadership development program.
Source.ag appointed Matthias Stammen chief commercial officer. In the new role at the vegetable grower artificial intelligence solutions company, he will lead efforts towards a more efficient, sustainable, and climate-resilient food production system. Source.ag has commercial greenhouses in 18 countries that produce vegetables for more than 50 million people.
Matthias Stammen, Source.AgDairy West hired Kim Mora as vice president of marketing and communications. She will lead the group’s work elevating brand impact and expanding consumer engagement.
Dick Peixoto, owner of Lakeside Organic Gardens, was named the 2024 organic grower of the year. The award will be presented the first week of December at the Organic Grower Summit in Monterey, Calif. Peixoto is a third generation farmer in the Pajaro Valley who leads one of the largest family-owned-and-operated solely organic vegetable operations in the United States. He started the operation in 1996 hiring those in his neighborhood to harvest tomatoes and has since expanded to 3,300 organic acres growing more than 50 commodities across California. He also owns a farm-to-table restaurant in Watsonville called the California Grill that serves organic vegetables from his farm locations.
Sara Lasure has been named communications director for the Senate Agriculture Committee following Patrick Creamer’s retirement from federal service. Creamer had led communications for the committee minority since February 2021. Lasure had served as a senior staff member for Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., for more than a decade, including communications lead in the House and Senate. She earlier was a television anchor and reporter in Arkansas.
Alltech’s U.S. beef team hired Sebastian E. Mejia Turcios as on-farm support beef specialist. The Honduras native will focus on bilingual training and retention of feedlot and ranch workers.
Kate Maher left the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association where she produced the Cattlemen to Cattlemen show on RFD-TV. Maher is now a marketing specialist at Western Ag Network.
Metro announced that François Thibault will retire in the spring of 2025. Thibault has been with the company for 12 years, lately as executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer.
Andrew Freigang joined the Senate Western Caucus Republican staff as a fellow. A Michigan native, he was previously a Clear Path congressional fellow.
Ethan Matthews has been promoted to vice president of government affairs at Wilbur-Ellis. He has been with the company for three years, lately as director of regulatory and government affairs. He previously worked at CropLife America and the National Corn Growers Association.
Raymond Dobert joined Harambe Ag Consulting as a principal. He was a technology regulatory policy senior science fellow with Bayer Crop Science and worked at Monsanto for 20 years, recently leading global regulatory policy.
Sarah Kapnick left her position as chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She is now global head of climate advisory for JP Morgan.
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The Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Institute hired Pearson Croney-Clark as director of external affairs. She was a public affairs manager for Oatly.
Election of the 2024-25 National FFA Officer Team at 97th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis Oct. 26, 2024. The National FFA Organization named 2024-25 officers: Thaddeus Bergschneider of Illinois, president; Luke Jennings of Ohio, secretary; Caroline Groth of Kentucky, eastern region vice president; Abigale Jacobsen of California, western region vice president; Jack Lingenfelter of Georgia, southern region vice president,; and Mary Schrieber of Wisconsin, central region vice president.
Ostra hired Dan Schultz as vice president of sales for North America. He will focus on driving growth of Crystal Green fertilizer sales. Schultz was BioSTL director of business development.
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization hired Karin Hoelzer as senior director of patient advocacy. She previously held roles in public health data analytics and regulatory affairs for Miximus and the National Organization for Rare Disorders, respectively.
The Foundation for America’s Public Lands hired Tomer Hasson as senior program officer. He was senior policy adviser at the Bureau of Land Management. Paula Neira was hired as vice president of finance and operations. She previously worked for Homebase as finance director.
Agriculture Capital hired Ben Vitale as a partner. He has more than three decades of environmental commodities, water, clean fuel and agriculture investment management experience. He will focus on regenerative agriculture initiatives.
Mike Sauder joined Complexity Advisors as a communications and government outreach consultant. He previously worked on political campaigns and in communications on Capitol Hill.
Stephen Gordon joined Chevron Phillips Chemical as senior manager of government affairs. He previously worked for the Environmental Protection Agency, House Oversight Committee and most recently the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
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