Apr 4, 2019

New officers, board members elected to guide LGMA

The California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement elected a new slate of officers and welcomed several new Advisory Board members elected by the leafy greens producer to guide the food safety program’s activities.

Stepping into the role as chairman of the board is Dan Sutton, general manager of Pismo-Oceano Vegetable Exchange who has served as the vice chairman for the past two years. Sutton replaces Steve Church of Church Brothers Produce who is the outgoing chairman.

Sutton thanked outgoing chairman Church for his leadership over the past year and noted he had learned a great deal from Church during this challenging period for leafy greens producers, saying the following:

“The past year has been sobering for the LGMA and its members. I am humbled to serve behind several great leaders of the leafy greens community and, like them, I am committed to finding solutions that will make our products safer through this important food safety program.”

Taking over the vice chairman’s position is Jan Berk, who is the chief operating officer of San Miguel Produce in Oxnard. Jan was serving as the LGMA’s secretary/treasurer and she is being replaced in that position by Gurmail Mudahar, vice president, research & development and foodsafety for Tanimura and Antle in Salinas.

Members of the LGMA have also elected new representatives to serve on the Board.  New members include Drew McDonald of Taylor Farms who will represent the District 1 area which includes Salinas, Watsonville, the San Joaquin Valley and Kern County; Robert Verloop of Coastline Family Farms who will represent District 3 which encompasses Blythe and the Imperial Valley; and John Jackson of Beachside Produce who formerly served as an Alternate member. He is representing District 2 which covers Santa Maria and Oxnard.

Several new alternate members were also elected to the LGMA Board including four representatives from District 1 who are Tony Alameda of Sabor Farms, Pete Donlon of Misionero, Chris Drew of Ocean Mist and Armando Figueroa of Braga Fresh Family Farms. From District 2 Homero Contreras of Beachside Produce has been elected as an alternate member while Larry Cox of Coastline Family Farms was elected to represent District 3.

All new members and officers will serve a two-year period beginning April 1, 2019 and ending March 31, 2021.

– April Ward, LGMA

Photo: Steve Church, right, of Church Brothers Farms hands off the LGMA Chairmanship to Dan Sutton of Pismo Oceano Vegetable Exchange.