Oppy has elevated Ben Vallejo and Jim Leach from management roles to director-level responsibilities.
Vallejo, who celebrates his 25th anniversary with Oppy this year, has been promoted to director of West Coast sales, according to a news release. He initially joined Oppy in quality control, moving into sales about a decade later, and going on to service several Oppy key accounts while also building Western U.S. distribution of kiwifruit and citrus, among other items, according to the release.
Most recently, Vallejo managed the sales efforts of Oppy’s California offices; he now leads the entire West Coast sales team, the release said.
Leach has advanced to the role of director of foodservice and Southwest sales, the release said. Leach joined the company as a business development representative in 2016, moving quickly into sales and sales management, showing a flair for foodservice alongside his recent leadership of Oppy’s Mexican grape program, according to the release.
In his new role, Leach will lead sales efforts for Oppy’s Nogales, Ariz., and Houston offices and oversee its overall foodservice strategy.
“It’s an honor to announce these promotions,” Brett Libke, Oppy’s senior vice president of sales, said in the release. “Ben and Jim are talented sales leaders who have earned the respect of their peers within Oppy and throughout the industry through their produce expertise and hard work. I know our business is in good hands with them, and I’m excited to watch it grow under their stewardship.”
Vallejo and Leach’s roles are complemented by Daniel Sebetic, their counterpart as Oppy’s director of sales for East Coast, and Colbert Rahal, sales director for Canada, the release said.
“We’ve created a balanced structure to best serve our wide network of valued customers across North America,” Libke said. “And now, with a dedicated focus on foodservice alongside our retail business, we can fine-tune our service approach in key areas, like avocados, tomatoes, grapes, citrus and more.”
