The 2022 Packer 25 is our annual tribute to 25 leaders, innovators and agents of change across the fresh produce supply chain. Each year, The Packer invites the produce industry to nominate distinguished veterans, leaders and rising stars of the fresh produce industry. As always, our editorial team was energized and awed by the talented pool of nominees this year. Now in its 18th year, The Packer is once again spotlighting 25 dynamic and inspiring people who are moving the produce industry forward.
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Allison Moore, executive vice president, Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, Nogales, Ariz.
You were named executive vice president of FPAA at the start of 2022, and I understand you’re a 20-year veteran of the organization. These days, that’s a long time with one employer. What has kept you engaged with your work for these past two decades?
Moore: The world of fresh produce is fascinating, but at the end of the day, I work with some really terrific people. They are a big part of why I have been with the association for over 20 years. I might be biased, but the FPAA has a great group of member companies. These men and women are passionate about fresh produce, about community and about working together to solve common problems.
Working for people passionate about what they do makes going to work exciting. Working with people you respect makes solving problems and identifying opportunities very rewarding. Evolution also keeps things interesting. As our members evolve, so do the areas we focus on. As an example, we have become much more engaged in issues impacting our members’ operations in Texas than we were even five years ago, and that will continue to increase. Our job is to stay open to the areas of need and tackle those areas.
FPAA members are competitors, but they are also friends, colleagues, mentors, leaders, volunteers and people willing to come together to work on common issues for the greater good.
In addition to our members, there are a lot of really dedicated, smart, and passionate people working across the produce industry. It has been very fulfilling working with other produce association colleagues across the U.S., as we solve common problems and create opportunities for the industry. We don’t all agree all the time on all the issues, but I find that a lot of people never hesitate to work with others when we can tackle things together.
When you look back on your career many years from now, what influence do you hope to have had on the fresh produce industry?
I hope I have been able to contribute positively to the great work many in our industry do in finding ways to work together. I also hope that I have been able to convey the importance of our integrated North American supply chain. ‘Supply chain’ sounds so impersonal, but when you really break it down, it’s people working together. We are all stronger together, whether that’s on a member-to-member level in our association, on a national level working together with other associations and organizations, or on a broader level looking at how our supply chain across North America can be better integrated.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am very proud of the work we did over the last several years handling a variety of trade issues. From the massive undertaking of industries across North America, as we collectively got involved in renegotiating NAFTA to create the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement; to renegotiations of a Tomato Suspension Agreement; to United States International Trade Commission investigations on blueberries and other items; to a global pandemic; and the never-ending uncertainty related to trade during the previous administration — I feel like we learned a lot about how to be nimble, how to foster coalitions, and how to continue to work with others in the industry to find common ground where we can.
What does leadership mean to you?
I like to think of leadership as a way to enable people to live up to their strengths and potential by creating the space for them to excel and grow. It means recognizing and promoting contributions from the people you work with and seeing another person’s humanity. I am a firm believer in servant leadership and helping others succeed. For one, it really helps the team succeed. It also gives people a feeling of safety and confidence in their jobs and improves all lives in some ways. I also look at it as leading from your better self, when support and empathy are the driving force behind your actions.
What’s the best piece of career advice you ever received?
I have learned a lot of valuable things over the years. A big one is to make people feel welcome — whether it’s a member, an outside company you’re meeting with or anyone else for that matter. We are all trying to do a job, and at the end of the day, people remember how you make them feel.
