Dan Sholl, 44, an executive in the fresh produce industry and a former general manager of Sacramento-based Wild About Sprouts, has died.
Sholl spent most of his career in fresh produce, starting with sales and marketing for the Green Giant Fresh brand in 2003 in Minnesota. In 2010, he moved over to Bay Area-based sprouting operation California Sprouts, after which he became general manager of Wild About Sprouts in 2016.
At Wild About Sprouts, Sholl was integral in the development of the sprouting operation’s first plant to use its new patented Cold Grown process, according to a news release. Through this process, the sprout seeds are planted in 3-ounce containers to be harvested later by consumers in their own homes. But Sholl didn’t just have his hands in the Cold Grown packaging soil, the release said.
“Sholl touched every aspect of the business, including staffing, sales, marketing, food safety, plant operations, inventory, [key performance indicators], and his favorite, networking,” the release said.
Sholl attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., and obtained a business administration degree from Colorado State University in 2003. It was at CSU where he used his gregarious and outgoing personality traits to their full potential, according to the release.
“While at CSU, Sholl joined the Ski Club and grew it from 20 members to over 300, turning it into the largest club on campus,” the release said.
As a regular attendee at networking and fresh produce industry events, Sholl’s “smile and dry sense of humor [were] known to many,” the release said. He was also a music lover and outdoor enthusiast.
“Sholl had an uncanny ability to make friends with whomever he met. He delighted in music, sang unabashedly and always had an opinion,” the release said, noting that, in addition to his love for skiing, Sholl enjoyed hiking at state and national parks near his home in Sacramento. “He enjoyed sharing his passions with his wife and children, especially his love of the mountains and the outdoors.”
Sholl died unexpectedly of natural causes on Jan. 16. He is survived by wife, Claire; son, Philp John, 7; twin daughters, Sylvi Grace and Cora Josephine, 5; father, Jeff Sholl (married to Susan Harlander); mother, Deb Sholl; and two sisters, Abby and Kristin.
Family, friends and business colleagues are invited to attend a memorial service and reception set for 11 a.m. PST, Feb. 26, at the chapel at East Lawn Memorial Park, 4300 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, Calif. A reception will follow at noon in the greenhouse adjacent to the chapel. A Celebration of Life is planned for later in the summer in Minnesota.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up for Sholl’s children as a 529 college savings plan. To contribute or for more information, email Deb Sholl at debsholl.grandkids.fun@gmail.com.
