Bill Lewis Fresno, Calif.-based Crown Jewels Produce has added export veterans Bill Lewis and Shani McKinney to help expand its South American fruit deal.
Lewis, who has been extensively involved in the fruit export business for the past 23 years, began his career as a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector in the San Joaquin Valley. He also was a supermarket produce buyer for more than 10 years before relocating to Chile, according to a news release.
As South American managing partner, Lewis opened an office in Santiago, Chile, and will help develop Crown Jewel’s new import program from Chile, Peru and Brazil.
Shani McKinney McKinney will be based in Crown Jewel’s Fresno office and involved with imports as well as foreign and domestic sales, according to the release.
Most recently, she was the senior account manager at a major California fruit operation, where she worked to increase the firm’s western territory retail and Latin American export business.
Before that, she was an import trade manager for 17 years with exporters and growers from Chile, Peru, Brazil and South Africa.
Comments (2) Leave a comment