Packer 25 2021 — Brian Dey
How did you get your start in the produce industry? What roles have you held during you career?
I started as a produce clerk back in 1989 at an independent store in New Jersey. Basically, I needed a job and I ended up migrating to the produce department. Little did I know that my first task of wrapping cases of Andy Boy iceberg lettuce would turn into a lifelong passion of produce and produce merchandising. Literally the first day I worked, I knew I wanted to be in the produce industry and within that retail environment. I have worked for Marrazzo’s Thriftway, Pathmark, Shop-N-Bag and McCaffrey’s Market prior to coming to Four Seasons Produce. I picked up a lot of experience along the way with roles ranging from produce clerk, produce assistant manager, produce manager, produce coordinator, produce merchandiser and now in my current role at Four Seasons.
How would you describe your current role?
I help build department sales through building displays, executing sound produce merchandising, and showing stores what is possible when you try new things and add that creative produce merchandising flair. I work with stores and their staff with effective training on all areas of produce department operations to help them achieve their maximum sales and profit goals.
I also work with grower/shippers along with our buying team to help set up monthly sales-driving promotions to create fun merchandising opportunities at store level.
What do you hope to accomplish/contribute through that role?
To help build a better bench of future produce superstars through exceptional training and education of produce operations and merchandising. I am a firm believer in the “hows” and the “whys” training method as they both are so equally important when showing new associates this amazing world we work in called the produce industry. Coaching and training that next produce clerk, manager or merchandiser, and helping people reach and accomplish their career goals will help solidify the future of produce retail and ultimately further increase produce consumption.
What industry groups are you involved with?
I currently write for The Packer/PMG, offering insight to produce retail and training, (and have) spoken on panels at trade shows and conferences with United Fresh, Expo East and GOPEX.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
When people that I have trained grow within the industry. While building super-cool displays and creating sales is an awesome and fun part of what I do, the process of developing talent to better themselves and hone their craft is really what I take the most pride in. Making the difference in someone’s produce sales is great, but helping to be the difference in their career far surpasses that.
What does leadership mean to you?
Leadership is about getting people from where they are to where they want to be, empowering them along the way to do great things and put them in a place of personal and professional growth. It is truly amazing to show people just what can be accomplished when they believe in themselves. Leadership is about making a difference in people’s lives, regardless of what industry you are in or what job title or description that you have. Leadership is about vision, innovating and setting standards and getting people to believe in and rally around all three. There is an excellent quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson I find so fitting to what leadership is — “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is not path and leave a trail.”
Who are some of your industry mentors?
I have had many mentors through the various stages of my career that have helped mold me into the person and professional that I am today. So to be able to only list three is sure to leave a lot of great people out of this. Wendell Hahn, Ron Carkoski and Jon Steffy have all made significant marks in both my personal and professional growth in the produce industry and in life in general. Each of these men took a chance on me, offered tremendous guidance and opportunity, empowered me to be me, and embody everything I described in my words above on leadership. And in Ron’s case, from 1997-1999 he took a call every two weeks from a produce manager just looking for a shot at something on a different stage. No matter what he was doing or what was going on, he answered my call, or if a message was left returned it promptly. Leadership…
What's a little-known or fun fact about you?
I have a vast collection original old produce crate labels. I also love snakes and am especially passionate about rattlesnakes and the education and conservation of these fascinating animals. I am also a skilled handler of venomous snakes.
