Pro*Act launching a fund to encourage more women to enter the produce industry.
“We’ve seen growers, distributors, and our own company benefit from the thoughtful contributions of talented women over the years,” Pro*Act CEO Chip Walker said in a news release. “We also know that this is an industry where women’s representation has lagged behind other industries. We hope this fund is another step to bring more women to a field who needs their perspectives, experiences, and leadership.”
Scholarship applications will be open in June for women pursuing a graduate or post-graduate degree while majoring in various industry-related programs, including horticulture, agribusiness, and supply chain management, according to the release.
“The timing for this initiative is right; we want to have a workforce representation that empowers our industry to grow exponentially,” Mackenzie Lovelace, marketing manager for Pro*Act said in the release. Lovelace is working with a team from Pro*Act and their supply chain to award scholarships in August, the release said.
The announcement coincides with International Women’s Day, and a week where Pro*Act is celebrating women across the fresh produce supply chain, according to the release.
The company is highlighting five women whose contributions have strengthened Pro*Act and their partners:
- Joan Daleo, CEO of Ole Tyme Produce;
- Meyree Escobar, senior account manager for Pro*Act;
- Penny Schneider, director of contract services for Vizient;
- Michelle Weech, vice president of marketing for Hardie’s Fresh Foods; and
- Julie Laughton, account manager for Taylor Farms.
“The workforce landscape is shifting before our very eyes,” Daleo said in the release. “As an industry, we have to continue to be intentional about attracting, mentoring and promoting the talented, diverse, and motivated group of personnel who will one day lead our industry.”
“This isn’t about reaching a quota,” Walker said in the release. “It’s about building companies with the best people while recognizing that too often young women look at our industry - and then look elsewhere. This fund is designed to open that door a bit wider and show that we are serious about building a workforce of the best and the brightest.”
