F R U I T A N D V E G E T A B L E I N D U S T R Y

A D V I S O R Y C O M M I T T E E

F V I A C M E M B E R F A C T S H E E T

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PAUL LIGHTFOOT

FVIAC CHAIR

Location: New York

Affiliations: Grower/Packer

Committee experience: Member of Board of Directors of United

Fresh Produce Association; Founder & Chairman CEA Food Safety

Coalition; Member of United/PMA/FDA Romaine Food Safety Task

Force

Brightfarms Inc., Founder-President

TOMMY WILKINS

FVIAC VICE CHAIR

Location: Texas

Affiliation: Retailer

Committee experience: Texas International Produce Association;

United Fresh Retail Foodservice Committee; Southeast Produce

Council; Reappointed member of Fruit and Vegetable Industry

Advisory Committee

Grow Farms Texas, Director of Sales

JULIE E. MASSER BALLAY

FVIAC SECRETARY

Location: Pennsylvania

Affiliations: Grower/Packer/Shipper

Committee experience: Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Schuylkill/Carbon

County Director; Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and

Employers Association

Sterman Masser Inc., Owner-Chief Financial Officer

BRET ERICKSON

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: Texas

Affiliation: Grower/Packer/Shipper

Committee experience: USDA ATAC for Fruits and Vegetables;

Reappointed member of Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory

Committee

J&D Produce, Sr. Vice President for Business Affairs

BRIAN KIRSCHENMANN

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: California

Affiliation: Grower/Packer/Shipper

Committee experience: Kern County Farm Bureau, California Potato

Research Advisory; Reappointed member of Fruit and Vegetable

Industry Advisory Committee Board, United States Potato Board, USPB

Chip Committee

Kirschenmann Farms, Inc, Owner/CEO

CHARLES A. WINGARD

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: South Carolina

Affiliation: Organic & conventional Grower/Processor

Committee experience: Lexington County & South Carolina Farm

Bureau Federation; American Farm Bureau Federation; United Fresh

Produce Association; South Carolina Fruit, Vegetable, & Specialty Crop

Association; Reappointed member of Fruit and Vegetable Industry

Advisory Committee

Walter P. Rawl & Sons, Vice President, Field Operations
A B R I E F H I S T O R Y

O F S P O R T S

C IN DY A . J EW ELL

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: California

Affiliations: Broker/Producer

Committee experience: United Fresh Produce Association, Chairman

of the Board, 2018-2019; Produce Marketing and Merchandising

Council, Chairman, 2015-2017; Grower-Shipper Board, Member, 2014-

2015

Jewell Markerting, Owner

D AV I D E IN ST AN D IG

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: Michigan

Affiliations: Grower/Shipper/Packer

Committee experience: Member, United Fresh Produce

Association Government Relations Council (2019 to present);

Member, Canadian Produce Marketing Association North American

Trade Working Group (2018 to present)

Mastronardi Produce-USA, Executive Vice President – General Counsel

D AV I D S HE RR OD

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: Georgia

Affiliations: Farm Organization/Trade Association

Committee experience: Produce Marketing Association; Texas

International Produce Association; United Fresh Produce

Southeast Produce Council Inc., President and Chief Executive

D AV I D A AR ON ZA PF

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: Michigan

Affiliations: Processor

Naturipe Value-Added Foods LLC, Value-Added Product Manager

D ER RI N W HE EL ER

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: Georgia

Affiliation: Cooperative

Committee experience: Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Assoc.; Reappointed member of Fruit and Vegetable Industry

Advisory Committee

MBG Marketing, Director of Sunbelt Business Unit

F R U I T A N D V E G E T A B L E I N D U S T R Y

A D V I S O R Y C O M M I T T E E

F V I A C M E M B E R F A C T S H E E T

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DONN ZEA

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: California

Affiliation: Farm Organization/Trade Association

Committee experience: International Nut & Dried Fruit Council;

International Prune Assoc.; California Dried Fruit Coalition; California

Specialty Crops Council; Board of Gov., Agricultural Research Initiative;

Reappointed member of Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory

Committee

California Dried Plum Board/Prune Marketing Committee, Executive Director
A B R I E F H I S T O R Y

O F S P O R T S

GEORGE F. HAMNER

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: Florida

Affiliations: Grower/Packer/Shipper

Committee experience: Citrus Admin. Committee (Past Chairman);

Agricultural Advisory Committee to Atlanta Federal Reserve Board;

Indian River County Planning and Zoning Commission (Past

Chairman/Vice Chairman); USDA Partners in Quality Development

Program – PIQ program development; Citrus Canker Task Force –

Chaired Regulatory Issues

Indian River Exchange Packers Inc., President

K EL LY CA RL ( K. C . ) EL Y

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: Oklahoma

Affiliation: Distributor

Committee experience: Oklahoma Food Service Advisory

Committee; Reappointed member of Fruit and Vegetable Industry

Advisory Committee

FreshPoint, Food Safety Manager

K AR LA J. S TO CKL I

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: California

Affiliations: Farm Organization/Trade Association

Committee experience: Ag Council of California; Madera/Fresno Farm

Bureau; Produce for Better Health; American Marketing Assoc.; Institute

of Food Technology; International Assoc. of Culinary Professionals;

Research Chefs Associations; Future Farmers of America

California Fig Advisory Board, Chief Executive Officer

K AY E L LI S R I LE Y

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: Oregon

Affiliations: Packer/Shipper

Committee experience: Idaho Eastern Oregon Onion

Committee; National Onion Association Ad hoc Committee for

Food Safety

Snaker River Produce Co. LLC., General Manager

K IL EY HA R PE R- LA RS EN

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: Florida

Affiliation: Grower

Committee experience: American Farm Bureau Federation- National

Food Safety Issues Advisory Committee; Florida Farm Bureau

Federation - State F&V Advisory Committee Member; Reappointed

member of Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

NK Lago Farms, LLC, Owner and Lead Consultant

L IS A A . FO RD

F VI A C R EP RE SE NT AT I VE

Location: Florida

Affiliations: Retailer

Publix Supermarkets, Fruits-Vegetables-Floral Quality Specialist

F R U I T A N D V E G E T A B L E I N D U S T R Y

A D V I S O R Y C O M M I T T E E

F V I A C M E M B E R F A C T S H E E T

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A B R I E F H I S TOR Y

OF S POR T S

MICHAEL JANIS

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: California

Affiliation: Wholesaler/Distributor

Committee experience: National Assoc. of Produce Market

Managers; World Union of Wholesale Markets; Reappointed member

of Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market, General Manager

PAUL PALMBY

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: Wisconsin

Affiliation: Processor

Committee experience: Midwest Food Processors Assoc.;

Northwest Food Processors Assoc.; Reappointed member of Fruit and

Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee; American Frozen Food

Institute

Seneca Foods Corporation, Executive Vice President & COO

PAUL TEAGUE

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: Arkansas

Affiliations: Broker/Producer

Committee experience: National Watermelon Research and Promotion

Board; Missouri-Arkansas Watermelon Association; Texas Watermelon

Association; Illianna Watermelon Association

Teague Produce and Consulting Services, Owner

READE SIEVERT

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: Kansas

Affiliation: Retailer

Committee experience: Reappointed member of Fruit and

Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

Associated Wholesale Grocers, Vice President Corporate Produce

TOM LIPETZKY

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: Colorado

Affiliation: State Dept. of Agriculture

Committee experience: Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Assoc.;

Colorado Potato, Dry Bean, Sweet Corn Admin. Committees; Rocky Ford

Growers Assoc.; North American Ag. Marketing Officials; Reappointed

member of Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

Colorado Department of Agriculture, Director, Marketing Program &

Strategic Initiatives

TROY D. BLAND

FVIAC REPRESENTATIVE

Location: Georgia

Affiliations: Grower/Packer/Shipper

Education: University of Georgia,

Committee experience: Vidalia Onion Committee; Georgia Fruit

and Vegetable Growers Association

Bland Farms LLC, Chief Operating Officer

F R U I T A N D V E G E T A B L E I N D U S T R Y

A D V I S O R Y C O M M I T T E E

F V I A C M E M B E R F A C T S H E E T

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