Women in Produce — Rochelle Bohm
Rochelle Bohm has roots in New Zealand apple country but now is making a difference for fruit growers on the other side of the world.
Bohm, brand manager for CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, Wash., and an eight-year veteran of the company, brings creative talent to the apple industry that Bob Mast, CMI president, appreciates.
“When Rochelle really believes in something, whether it be a new brand, package or program, she has a unique ability to develop a strategic marketing plan of brand execution that few in our industry have mastered to her level,” Mast said.
“Rochelle is very cognizant of the work she puts out to the trade and has an overwhelming desire to produce high-level work that is eye catching and resonates very well with end consumers.”
Mast said Bohm has the skill to “hit the bullseye” consistently.
“CMI orchards has been very blessed by our owner’s commitments to secure and invest in exclusive programs, and Rochelle has played a huge role in bringing these programs to the marketplace in ways that create impactful brand relevance and in ways that truly resonate with end consumers. She really knows how to hit the target.”
Beginnings
Bohm was born in New Zealand and lived there until she was 14, then moved to Australia and lived there for the next decade.
While her father and mother were not farmers, Rochelle grew up four-wheeling around apple orchards in New Zealand. In fact, she grew up near some New Zealand growers that now partner with CMI, she said.
“It is a really nice surprise to actually get to work with so many New Zealanders and Australians in this industry; it’s something I never would have expected,” Bohm said.
After spending part of her high school and college years in Australia, she met an American. “We did some wild travels and ended up in Alaska after that.”
In Alaska, Bohm was executive director of the Cordova District Fishermen United from February 2005 through November 2011. The organization represented the commercial fishermen of Prince
William Sound, which includes almost 1,000 commercial fishing families in the Copper River region.
The experience with the fresh fish business in Alaska was what Bohm called a “nice segue” to in 2013 moving to Wenatchee, Wash., to work in creative marketing efforts of the Northwest fresh fruit industry.
When Bohm interviewed with CMI, she said the scale of the industry took her completely by surprise.
“I thought like, well, this will be a great place to hold a job working for the small fruit stand,” she said.
That perception was jolted when she was informed that CMI shipped to dozens of countries around the world.
“The world of apples, pears and cherries is so much more dynamic than I ever expected,” she said. “There’s never a dull moment and there’s something new every day.”
Bohm credits Mast and CMI vice president of marketing George Harter for giving her room to make her creative mark.
“They really cultivate a real family feeling here at the company where staff are encouraged to grow and lead,” she said. “’I’ve always been encouraged to sort of wrap my arms around a project.”
Reflections
Looking back at her career, Bohm said one of her first experiences with management came in college when she helped manage an international aid program in Australia.
The program handled scholarships for 80 students from 30 developing countries to help them get through their degree programs.
Thinking through how best to serve those students — to give them all the tools so that they could navigate the shock to the culture, align them with tutors, English and support services to be able to finish the programs — was valuable for Bohm.
“That gave me so much insight into communication, and how to reach people and really break down language in ways that people from diverse backgrounds can understand,” she said. Working with fisherman in Alaska also gave her insights on how to be diplomatic and get through to people with sometimes difficult truths.
Reflecting on lessons learned, Bohm said getting the right mindset to challenges is key.
“You can learn any skill; it’s attitude that can’t be taught,” she said. “Make sure you have the right attitude. Make sure you have the drive and stamina because that is unique to you. Just keep learning and don’t assume you know everything. All of us can learn more about any topic.”
Today, Bohm says she feels lucky to be part of CMI.
“It is so nice to work for a company that has integrity, where you can trust that the decisions that are being made are honest, and they’re real, and I can stand behind what someone else is saying and know that I know that it’s true and know that we’re promising things that we can deliver on.”
Bohm said she looks forward to taking on present and future challenges in the fruit industry.
The apple category is seeing new entrants into the branded category, making it tougher and tougher for companies to differentiate themselves, she said.
“I think with that pressure, that’s where that’s where the magic really happens. That’s when innovation happens — when people are challenged to find creative ways to sort of overcome those obstacles.”
