The fifth Eastern Produce Council (EPC) Leadership Class finished its 2023 educational program with a robust schedule of events at the recent New York Produce Show and Conference (NYPS) in New York City. “Attending the show and conference provides unique industry support, mentorship and networking for the members of our class,” says Theresa Lowden, president of the EPC and executive vice president, produce and floral at JOH.
The group’s activities began at the NYPS Cornell University Future-Leaders-In-Produce Foundational Excellence event, a career-building program providing an immersion into the scope of the produce industry. Susan McAleavey Sarlund, EPC executive director, kicked off a segment of the agenda with an explanation of the EPC and its Leadership Program and her background. Four members of the class - Julie Barber, Max Pozzessere, Joseph Strumolo and Stephanie Tramutola - then participated on a discussion panel moderated by Ed McGlaughlin of Cornell.
Members of the EPC Board and EPC Leadership Class at the NYPS ribbon-cutting ceremony. Photo: NYPS/Dean Barnes
During the NYPS Keynote Breakfast, the industry recognized the class and then attended the show’s ribbon-cutting ceremony and the exposition. “Our program is all about having a dual-medium learning environment combining hands-on experience with classroom learning throughout the year,” says McAleavey Sarlund. “The NYPS is a great fit for our objectives and a perfect culmination to our program.”
The 2023 class activities began with a visit in March to the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market (PWPM) followed by Holt Cargo Systems at the Port of Gloucester, New Jersey. In April, the group received training on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) during a seminar before the general EPC membership meeting at Top Golf in Edison, New Jersey. In October, a combined classroom and field experience occurred at Hionis Greenhouses in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey and Rutgers’ Clifford E. and Melda C. Snyder Research and Extension Farm near Pittstown, New Jersey.
Nominations for the sixth Leadership Class open in January 2024.
EPC Leadership Class participates in the Foundational Excellence panel. Photo: NYPS/Dean Barnes
Participants in the program include: Brian Arena, Four Seasons Produce Inc.; Julie Barber, The Oppenheimer Group; Lauren Barczak, Procacci Brothers Sales Corp.; Jack Christy, The Oppenheimer Group; Andrea Cutler, Michael Cutler Company; Tyler Davidov, Suja; Anna Fagan, AeroFarms; Michael Hill, Nature Sweet; Chris Jacobsen, Silo; Mike Kominsky, Ventura Foods; Savannah Lloyd, Farm-Wey Produce Inc.; Joshua Minton, Frank Donio Inc.; Isaac Olivas, Fowler Farms; Luke Palizay, Pacific Trellis Fruit; Max Pozzessere, Little Leaf Farms; Nicolina Rutherford, Wakefern Food Corp.; Jessica Sarter, Pulmuone Foods; Jerry Scherwin, PennRose Farms; Christopher Scotti, John Vena Inc.; Eric Smith, John Vena Inc.; Karolina Sokolska, Hampton Farms; Alexis Sommers, F&S Fresh Foods; Joseph Strumolo, Wakefern Food Corp.; Stephanie Tramutola, A & J Produce Corp.; Jenna Vaccaro, Sugar Foods; and Nicholas Vargas, Wakefern Food Corp.
For more information:
Jodean Robbins Duarte
Eastern Produce Council
[email protected]
https://www.easternproducecouncil.com/