For Immediate Release: October 8, 2010
A new 35-member Leadership Council of the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) and four new working groups have been named to lead the initiative, the PTI’s administering associations announced today. The Leadership Council will also receive input from two stakeholder interest groups.
The new Leadership Council’s members are senior-level executives and recognized leaders in their respective segments of the fresh produce supply chain. The council includes seven retailers, five foodservice companies, 14 grower/shippers, four wholesalers/terminal markets, and the four administering associations.
Providing input to the council will be the PTI’s four new working groups, an interest group of association and commodity board representatives, and another interest group made up of GS1 member organizations.
“This new leadership structure, consisting of the supply chain-representative Leadership Council and volunteer-led working groups, will ensure a more inclusive process moving forward that will benefit the entire industry,” said Cathy Green, president of Food Lion, who will chair the Leadership Council. “Now we look forward to advancing the work by providing the tools and information the industry needs to be able to achieve the full benefits and value of chain-wide, electronic traceability.”
The Leadership Council will hold its first meeting Oct. 13 in Orlando, Fla. At that invitation-only meeting, council members will receive updates on initial working-group meetings, and discuss the path forward for the PTI. The PTI is administered by the staffs of GS1 US, Canadian Produce Marketing Association, Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association.
Council members represent the following companies:
- Cathy Green, Food Lion (Chair)
- Mike Antle, Tanimura & Antle
- Dan Bates, SUPERVALU
- Garry Bergstrom, Publix Super Markets
- Todd Camel, Dole Fresh Vegetables
- Ron Carkoski, Four Seasons Produce, Inc.
- Bob Carpenter, GS1 US
- Jim Corby, Food Lion
- Rich Dachman, SYSCO Corporation
- Scott Danner, Liberty Fruit Co., Inc.
- Matthew D’Arrigo, D’Arrigo Brothers Co. of New York, Inc.
- Dan Dempster, Canadian Produce Marketing Association
- Jim DiMenna, J.D. Marketing
- Doug Grant, The Oppenheimer Group
- Reggie Griffin, The Kroger Co.
- Steve Grinstead, Pro*Act
- Jorge Hernandez, U.S. Foodservice
- Ana Hooper, Darden Restaurants
- Derrick Jenkins, Wakefern Food Corporation
- David Krause, Paramount Citrus
- Emanuel Lazopoulos, Del Monte
- Alec Leach, Taylor Farms California
- Jim Lemke, C.H. Robinson Worldwide
- Mike McLaughlin, Driscoll’s
- Bob Meek, Wada Farms
- John Oxford, L&M Companies
- Manolo Reyes, Wal-Mart
- Bill Schuler, Castellini Co.
- Bryan Silbermann, Produce Marketing Association
- Will Steele, Frontera Produce Limited
- Tom Stenzel, United Fresh Produce Association
- Craig Steven, Chiquita Brands International
- Pat Walsh, Food Marketing Institute
- Geoff White, Safeway
- Mike Wootton, Sunkist
- Tim York, Markon Cooperative
Working group members include the following members as of Oct. 5 – population of these groups is still ongoing and interested persons can visit the PTI website at www.producetraceability.org for instructions on how to volunteer:
Implementation Working Group:
- Steve Roosdahl, The Oppenheimer Group (Industry Co-Chair )
- Ed Treacy, PMA (Association Co-Chair)
- Kyle Davis, Publix Supermarkets, Inc.
- Mike Agostini, Wal-Mart Stores
- Al Bates, Sun Pacific
- Rick Burnes, Paramount Citrus
- Phil Dammarell, The Kroger Company
- Kyle Davis, Publix Super Markets
- Mark Gastineau, Paramount Citrus
- Amy Gates, Frontera Produce
- Eric Gingrich, Earth Source Trading
- Jack Hagler, Chiquita/Fresh Express
- Jim Heil, The Giumarra Companies
- Donald Held, TPE
- Gary Lombardo, Premium Valley Produce
- Mike McGee, L&M Companies
- Scott McQuiston, Dawsons Orchards, Inc.
- Mike Meagher, C.H. Robinson Worldwide
- Bob Meek, Wada Farms Marketing Group
- Teri Miller, Food Lion
- Ernesto Nardone, Chelan Fresh
- Sean Neubauer, Consumers Produce Co., Inc.
- Alan Newton, Duda Farm Fresh Foods
- Larry Nottingham – Pandol Brother, Inc.
- John Papp, Jac Vandenberg, Inc.
- S. Garrett Patricio, Westside Produce
- Phil Penny, Pro*Act
- Chris Puentes, Interfresh, Inc.
- Larry Ray, Driscoll Strawberry Assoc., Inc.
- Giuseppe Rubino, Mastronardi Produce
- Kent Pomeroy, Westlake Produce
- Craig Slate, IFCO Systems, N.A., Inc.
- Michele Southall, GS1 US
- Abel Valdez, Tanimura & Antle
- Pat Walsh, FMI
- Lucky Westwood, California Giant, Inc.
- Gary Wishnatzki, Wishnatzki Farms
Technology Working Group:
- Andrew Kennedy, FoodLogiQ (Industry Co-Chair)
- Dan Vache, United Fresh Produce Association (Association Co-Chair)
- Todd Baggett, Red Line Solutions
- John Bailey, Top 10 Produce, LLC
- Rick Bauer, Avery Dennison Printer Systems Division
- Minor Bolanos, Virtual One Software
- Scott Branch, Lowry Computer Products
- Ray Connelly, Truetrac
- Chris Davis, RedLine Solutions, Inc.
- Mike Dodson, Lotpath, Inc.
- Dave Donat, Pro Pro Inc.
- Bob Driggers, Authentitrace, LLC
- Elliot Grant, HarvestMark
- Anderson Grogen Sr., Next Version Software, LLC (eProduce)
- Rich Lacoy, Diagraph an ITW Company
- Michael McCartney, QLM Consulting
- Greg McNamara, Compac Sorting Equipment
- Mark Miller, AFS Technologies
- Angela Paymard, N2N Global
- John Penizotto, PAR Logistics Mgmt. System
- Ryan Schneider, FoodLink Online, LLC
- Ted Schultze, Symbology, Inc.
- Jeff Tazelaar, Lowry Computer Products
- Colin Thurston, Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Raymond Tong, ASCII
- Patrick Trail, T3 Technologies
- Rakesh Vazirani, TUV Rheinland
- Charles Waud, WaudWare Incorporated
- Ed Weber, ToolWorx Information Products, Inc.
Master Data Working Group:
- Tom Casas, Tanimura & Antle (Industry Co-Chair)
- Scott Brown, GS1 US (Association Co-Chair)
- David Best, A. Duda & Sons
- Jerry Campbell, DiMare Fresh
- Dave Devlin, U.S. Foodservice
- Kendra DiGirolamo, Driscoll’s
- Mikelea Kelley, Tanimura & Antle
- Larry Nottingham, Pandol
- Larry Ray, Driscoll’s
- Barbara Rodgers, Nunes Company
- Steve Roosdahl, The Oppenheimer Group
- Eric Skiles, Domex Superfresh Growers
- Jacob Weed, Wilcox Fresh
- Greg Zwanziger, SUPERVALU
Industry Communications Working Group:
- Julia Stewart, PMA (Association Co-Chair)
- Ray Gilmer, United Fresh
- Jon Mellor, GS1 US
- Christy Philips-Brown, Food Lion
- Melanie Richer/Lianne Wand, CPMA
- Karin Gardner, The Oppenheimer Group
Association Interest Group:
- Mike Aerts, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association
- Travis Blacker, Idaho Grower Shippers Association
- Dr. Kristian Moeller, GlobalGAP
- Joel Nelsen, California Citrus Mutual
- Christopher Valadez, California Grape & Tree Fruit League
About the Canadian Produce Marketing Association
Based in Ottawa, Ontario, the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) is a not-for-profit organization representing over 770 Canadian and International member companies that are active in the marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables in Canada from the farm gate to the dinner plate. CPMA members represent all segments of the fresh produce industry. CPMA’s vision is to enable and lead the produce industry by enhancing the market and facilitating trade of fresh fruits and vegetables for its members. For more information about CPMA, please visit www.cpma.ca.
About GS1 US
GS1 US, a member of GS1, is an information standards organization that brings industry communities together to solve supply-chain problems through the adoption and implementation of GS1 standards. More than 300,000 businesses in 25 industries rely on GS1 US for trading-partner collaboration and for maximizing the cost effectiveness, speed, visibility, security and sustainability of their business processes. They achieve these benefits through solutions based on GS1 global unique numbering and identification systems, bar codes, Electronic Product Code (EPC®)-based Radio Frequency Identification (RFID, data synchronization, and electronic information exchange. GS1 US also manages the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC®). www.GS1US.org
About Produce Marketing Association (PMA)
Produce Marketing Association is the leading trade association representing companies from every segment of the global produce and floral supply chain. PMA helps members grow by providing business solutions that expand business opportunities and increase sales and consumption. For more information, visit www.pma.com.
About United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh)
Founded in 1904, the United Fresh Produce Association serves companies at the forefront of the global fresh and fresh-cut produce industry, including growers, shippers, fresh-cut processors, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, foodservice operators, industry suppliers and allied associations. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C. and Western Regional office in Salinas, Calif., United Fresh and its members work year-round to make a difference for the produce industry by driving policies that increase consumption of fresh produce, shaping critical legislative and regulatory action, providing scientific and technical leadership in food safety, quality assurance, nutrition and health, and developing educational programs and business opportunities to assist member companies in growing successful businesses. For more information, visit www.unitedfresh.org.