After more than 35 years in the produce industry, Terry Humfeld, the Cranberry Institute’s executive director based in Avondale, Pa., is retiring at the end of 2019.
Humfeld, who joined the cranberry association in 2010, announced his retirement to the institute’s board of directors last August, said Andy Reitz, board vice chairman, in a news release. The search for a new executive director is underway.
Born in Beloit, Kan., Humfeld grew up in a family that worked in the greenhouse business. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kansas State University and worked as a Milwaukee-based extension agent for the University of Wisconsin, according to the release. During that three-year stint, Humfeld saw his first cranberry harvest.
Humfeld taught for three years at Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute and managed a small bedding plant trade association for eight years. Before Humfeld joined the Cranberry Institute in 2010, he worked for the Produce Marketing Association for more than 17 years.
At PMA, his roles included director of floral programs, vice president of division programs, leading strategic planning and standardization efforts, and vice president of international chapter relations. He was on the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s executive committee for eight years.
“Terry is a humble, quiet-spoken guy, but he brought professionalism, organization, communications and a strong work ethic to the Cranberry Institute, and he will be missed by many in the industry,” Reitz said in the release.
Humfeld helped to foster a cooperative spirit with several organizations, created positive policies, and helped industry organizations, handlers and growers navigate the many challenges in the business, Reitz said.
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