Mar 29, 2018

Stanford’s Mike Steep to talk about AI at Tech Knowledge

You know that technology can help your company work smarter, not harder. So how do yo get smart about technology, and make the connections you need to harness technology for your company’s future? To find out, join the technology trends experts at Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Tech Knowledge Symposium on May 2-3 in Monterey, California. Stanford’s Mike Steep and technology futurist Patrick Schwerdtfeger are scheduled to appear, along with industry experts.

This year’s Tech Knowledge is designed specifically for produce and floral growers, packers, shippers and processors, and the technology solution providers who can meet their needs. It will deliver real-world information and tools that companies can use to create their own roadmaps to guide how they leverage technology. The event will also connect attendees with industry leaders and tech suppliers who can help them.

“The key to making the most of technology is to make technology decisions at the right time and for the right reasons for your business,” said Bob Whitaker, Ph.D., PMA chief science & technology officer. “Tech Knowledge is designed to give attendees the tools and information to do that, from sources they can trust.”

Technology author Schwerdtfeger will help attendees leverage technology trends, while Stanford’s Steep will discuss how to get ahead of disruptive technology now. Industry leaders Steve Church of Church Brothers, Alec Leach of Taylor Farms and Vic Smith of JV Smith Companies will share how the industry has adapted and adopted technology through time. Several Lightning Learning Lab sessions will spotlight technology solutions.

“Tech Knowledge is a great event to help you think beyond the day-to-day of your business, and focus on what can be,” said 2017 Tech Knowledge attendee Mike McGee, vice president of finance for L&M Companies.

The agenda will also include think tank sessions, fostering peer-to-peer learning, allowing attendees to address critical business pain points, as well as challenges and opportunities for growth. Also on the agenda, PMA will announce the 2018 winner of its annual technology-themed leadership award, the Science & Technology Circle of Excellence Award.

More than 20 grower-packer-shipper-processor businesses including AeroFarms, Andrew & Williamson, Del Monte Fresh, Ocean Mist and Wonderful Citrus, are already registered to attend.

For more information and to register, visit www.pma.com/events/tech-knowledge.

PMA’s 2018 technology portfolio is sponsored by Bayer.

STEM student attraction program

To help the fresh produce and floral industry address its growing need for science and technology professionals, this year’s Tech Knowledge will again include a STEM-focused Career Pathways program to attract top university students to industry careers. The program is a collaborative effort between PMA’s Science & Technology team, and Center for Growing Talent (CGT). This year, 16 students deemed the best and the brightest by their professors have been selected to participate from California State University, Monterey Bay, University of Arizona, University of Delaware and University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

Since the first Career Pathways program was held in 2004, it has been a successful recruiting tool for the industry. To date, 67 percent of students who participated in Career Pathways programs took a job or internship in industry; 78 percent of them remain in the industry today.

 “The fresh produce and floral industries are amazing and dynamic, with career opportunities from accounting to technology in locations around the world. Yet few college students know about us, so they don’t think about us as a career choice. Career Pathways programs are helping to change that,” said Margi Prueitt, CGT executive director and PMA senior vice president.