DNO welcomes Marissa Dake as director of communications and public affairs

Columbus, Ohio-based DNO Produce, a leading wholesale distributor and fresh-cut produce processor, has named Marissa Dake as Director of Communications and Public Affairs.

Dake will work to expand DNO’s external communications strategies and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders for DNO’s growing presence in federal nutrition programs.

“We are excited to welcome Marissa to our team,” said Alex DiNovo, DNO’s President and Chief Operation Officer. “I am confident Marissa’s on-the-ground experience and big-picture expertise with USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs will be a tremendous asset to our growing company. Marissa is a strong communications professional, with outstanding relationships in the food and agriculture industry. Most importantly, she shares a passion for our cause, to provide the highest quality fruits and vegetables in the K-12 space.”

Dake joins DNO from serving as the Topeka Rescue Mission’s Director of Operation Food Secure, a Coronavirus-era anti-hunger program that distributed over 4 million pounds of rescued food across Northeast Kansas. The recovered food was provided through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

“I am thrilled and honored to join DNO in pursuit of a healthier future for all children,” said Dake. “My experiences working and volunteering with food-insecure families showed me firsthand the tremendous difference fresh fruits and vegetables can make. For many kids, school lunch is the only meal they can count on, and I am thrilled to be part of a company so committed to providing nutritious food for school-aged children.”

Before Operation Food Secure, Dake served as Policy and Communications Coordinator for Michael Torrey Associates in Washington, DC. MTA is a government relations, communications, issue advocacy, and association management firm with clients in the food, agriculture, and forestry sector.