New York Produce Show to cap — finally— this EPC Leadership Class

It’s been the longest year ever for participants of the 2021 Eastern Produce Council Leadership Class, who will be honored at the Dec. 15 New York Produce Show keynote breakfast.

That’s because their year-long program lasted two years, due to COVID-19 restrictions on in-person gatherings. The 2020 class became the 2021 class.

EPC executive director Susan McAleavey Sarlund couldn’t wait to get these professionals, who are relatively new to the industry, into the warehouses, facilities and farms on the traditional field trip experiences and leadership seminars conducted by the Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education.

“I’ve been in touch with all these experiences, and as soon as they felt comfortable having people there, it was back on the calendar,” Sarlund said.

The association is one of the organizations presenting the New York conference.

The EPC Leadership Program chooses as many as 20 up-and-coming produce professionals for each Leadership Class, a professional development experience for those with fewer than 10 years of experience in the industry.

Participants selected in this most recent program include:

• Rich Arduini of FreshPro Food Distributors;
• Kevin Carroll of Wonderful Citrus;
• Frank Ciammaruconi of Wakefern Food Corp.;
• Dylan Dembeck of Minkus Family Farms;
• Phu Dinh of FreshPro Food Distributors;
• Rachel Fabrizio of Four Seasons Produce;
• Michael Harwood of New York Apple Sales;
• Andrew Hernandez of LGS Specialty Sales;
• Brian Kenny of Wakefern Food Corp.;
• Justin Kerner of Ballard Spahr LLP;
• Mattie Leid of Hess Brothers Fruit Co.;
• Michael Paolino of Wakefern Food Corp.;
• Annie Pape of Frank Donio Inc.;
• Gabrielle Procacci of Procacci Brothers Sales Corp.; and
• Kelsey Rose of John Vena Inc.

During the tours and seminars, participants get to meet and hang out with other professionals from all aspects of the produce industry. They start a social network beyond their own companies that can help them grown professionally.

And the culmination of this exceptional, extra-long “yearlong” program will be at the live show, back in the heart of New York City.