Mission Produce appointed Michael Bryan Sims to its board of directors, effective May 5. Sims was appointed as an independent Class I director, serving on the audit committee, with a term expiring at the Company’s 2028 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, according to the company. Mission Produce’s board of directors additionally increased the size of the board from eight to nine directors, it added.
Mission described Sims as a seasoned financial executive with more than four decades of experience leading global organizations across the food, agriculture and consumer industries. He brings deep operational, strategic and financial expertise, with a proven track record of driving growth, improving margins and leading transformative initiatives for both public and private companies, it added.
Sims most recently served as executive vice president and chief fiscal officer of TruGreen, where he led the company through critical financial restructurings, operational improvements and strategic capital deployment. He previously held senior leadership roles at AdvancePierre Foods, where he helped take the company public and later facilitated its acquisition by Tyson Foods, and at Chiquita Brands International, where he led global finance and business development initiatives for over 20 years.
In addition to his executive experience, Sims currently serves on the boards of The Hain Celestial Group and Winland Foods, where he provides strategic and financial oversight as a board member and audit committee chair. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Indiana University.
“We are pleased to welcome Michael to our board of directors,” Steve Barnard, CEO of Mission Produce, said in a news release. “Michael’s extensive financial background combined with his board-level experience in the food and consumer sectors make him an ideal addition to our team. We expect that his proven ability to align financial strategy with long-term business objectives will enhance our growth strategies and create sustainable value moving forward.”
“I’m honored to join the board of Mission Produce,” Sims said. “Mission’s industry-leading position in the avocado and mango industries, commitment to diversification, operational excellence and supply chain transparency aligns closely with my professional philosophies, and I look forward to supporting the company’s continued growth and success.”
