TIPA mourns the loss of longtime leader John McClung
John McClung, former president and CEO of the Texas Produce Association, died Oct. 2.
A decade after his retirement, McClung was celebrated for his outsized contribution to both the Texas and U.S. produce industry.
McClung had a career that took him from California to Washington, D.C., to south Texas.
McClung retired from the association in 2011, 12 years after he took over as president and CEO.
He not only began the transition of TPA to TIPA, but industry leaders recalled he also oversaw the Texas Produce Marketing Cooperative, the Texas Produce Export Association, and managed the Federal Marketing Orders for Texas citrus and onions.
Prior to moving to south Texas, McClung served as vice president for industry relations/government relations for the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association (now the United Fresh Produce Association), for 13 years in Washington, D.C.
Tommy Wilkins, director of sales for Grow Farms Texas, Donna, said McClung “bled Texas,” and was a great mentor to him.
“He was just a true advocate for Texas.”
McClung had a straightforward approach to dealing with issues, he recalled.
“He was so real — he didn’t justify anything, he didn’t make excuses – he just explained the way it was,” Wilkins said.
After he retired, McClung stayed connected with friends in the industry, he said.
“He always wanted to know what was going on – what was good, what was bad, the struggles,” Wilkins said.
More than that, McClung valued staying in touch with people, he said.
Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of United Fresh, said that McClung was a “consummate government relations professional” and taught him a lot when Stenzel joined United Fresh 28 years ago.
“As a former journalist, he had a keen sense of how to communicate our industry’s positions to members of Congress and administration leaders,” Stenzel said.
“And, personally, he was a mentor to everyone on staff, including me. When John went on to lead the Texas Produce Association he proved again his ability to juggle multiple interests and perspectives, helping people coalesce around common principles. He will be greatly missed.”
Before joining United Fresh in 1987, McClung spent seven years as an appointee at USDA during the Reagan administration, first as director of information and legislative affairs for the Food Safety and Inspection Service and then as director of information for all of USDA.
From 1977 until he joined USDA, he was the Washington Bureau Chief for Miller Publishing Co., a division of the American Broadcasting Co. Before that, McClung had worked as a reporter for United Press International in San Francisco and Fresno, Calif.
“John was a great voice for the fresh produce industry,” said Robert Guenther, senior vice president of public policy for United Fresh.
“Prior to me coming to United, John was always there to advise and provide important guidance to us on Capitol Hill. It was one of the reasons I decided to start my advocacy career at United. It allowed me to work along someone that I consider a mentor to me, both personally and professionally.”
McClung graduated from the University of Arizona in Tucson, his hometown, with a B.A. in journalism, and did his graduate work at the University of Minnesota in mass communications. He is survived by his wife, Judy McClung, his son, John, and his daughter, Janna.
“The hearts and prayers of TIPA and our industry go out to the McClung family and their loved ones during this time,” the group said in a tribute.
In lieu of flowers, Judy McClung has asked instead for those that knew John to share a story or memory of him on which their family can look back on in fondness as they remember his legacy.
If you are interested in providing a story to the family, please visit bit.ly/JohnMcClung-memories. TIPA will collect these submissions and assemble them for presentation to the McClung family.
