Center for Growing Talent (CGT) by PMA, Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins announce the founding of the Frieda Rapoport Caplan Women’s Fresh Perspectives Scholarship that enable a woman in the industry to attend the Women’s Fresh Perspective Conference annually at no cost.
This year’s conference is September 12-14, 2021. The scholarship, named after the late, industry legend Frieda Rapoport Caplan, is a generous gift from Frieda’s daughters, Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins.
The Caplan’s influence and engagement with the Women’s Fresh Perspectives portfolio goes back to the earliest days of conference program. Frieda Rapoport Caplan spoke at the very first conference and more recently received the Women’s Catalyst Award at the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Breakfast in October 2019. Caplan passed away the following January and the annual award was renamed in her honor.
Frieda Rapoport Caplan (left); Karen Caplan (middle) and Jackie Caplan Wiggins (right).
The Caplan influence doesn’t end with Frieda. Caplan’s granddaughter, Alex Berkley, attends every conference and has been an active leader of the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Committee, serving as co-chair from 2015-2017.
“2020 was a challenging year for everyone in business and we felt it would be really awesome to honor Mom by giving back to the industry and the foundation,” said Karen Caplan, CEO of Frieda’s Specialty Produce. “Jackie and I established a scholarship allowing a woman who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to attend the conference to do so, all expenses paid.”
The scholarship is for women in the industry embodying Frieda’s spirit of action, excellence and dedication to development. The 2021 recipient should meet a few criteria, including being a first-time attendee of the conference and employed in the produce and floral supply chain at the time of the application and the time of the conference. More details are available here. Applications are open and due by May 31, 2021.
“Many remember Frieda as a transformative leader, mentor and enduring supporter of personal and professional development,” said Megan Nash, director of programs at CGT. “It is fitting that in the years to come, many women will pursue their development at the conference because of this gift. We are so grateful to the family for their generous contribution and honored to be a part of the work to ensure the legacy of Frieda Rapoport Caplan is never forgotten.”
The Frieda Rapoport Caplan Women’s Fresh Perspectives Scholarship is one of two scholarships available to produce and floral professionals through the CGT. The Tip Murphy Scholarship for Leadership Excellence is available for young professionals to cover the cost of attendance to one of the CGT’s programs including the Emerging Leaders Program. Applications can be done here and are due by May 31, 2021.
For more information:
Siobhan May
Produce Marketing Association
Tel: +1 (302) 781-5855
[email protected]
www.pma.com