Produce Marketing Association - Traceability Symposium, Grand Rapids, MI - August 10, 2010

Ed Treacy

With more than 20 years of senior management experience in logistics and supply chain management, Ed Treacy now serves as PMA's expert in developing supply chain practices to lead the produce and floral industries forward in these areas.

Ed brings tremendous expertise in logistics and supply chain management. And the new position that he is filling furthers the deliberate course PMA set to design and deliver the real-world business solutions our members need.

A past chairman of the Canadian Pallet Council, a founding board member of the Canadian RFID Center, and former vice chair of the Canadian Professional Logistics Institute, Ed has spent most of his career working with major Canadian retail chains, including Sobeys Inc. and Loblaw Companies, Ltd. Most recently, Treacy served as senior vice president of operations for New Breed Logistics, High Point, N.C., where he designed and implemented distribution centers for various manufacturers to service such major U.S. retailers as Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Hallmark and Best Buy.

Brian LaForest

Head of his own corporate sales division, Superior/South, out of Nogales, AZ, Brian is responsible for sourcing produce from the Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere for 90-year old wholesaler Superior Sales, Inc.

Brian's extensive business experience in Latin America gives him a unique perspective on intercontinental commerce – and the implementation of global standards to all sides of the supply chain. He was recently appointed as an Ambassador on the advisory board of Mexico's Secretary of Agriculture's food certification program, Mexico Supreme Quality/Mexico Calidad Suprema.

At Superior since 2002, Brian was Commodity Director of Grapes, TreeFruit and Imported Fruit. Prior to joining Superior Sales, Brian was VP Sales with international brokerage Tom Lange, and before that he worked at a local supermarket chain as produce manager.

Gary Wishnatzki

With nearly four decades of experience in the produce industry, Gary Wishnatzki currently heads Wishnatzki Farms.

Wishnatzki Farms has been the largest strawberry shipper in Florida for over 50 years. The $60 million company currently markets for over 100 growers of fruit and vegetable crops. Gary's other company, VirtualOne, was founded in 2007 and provides data collection and traceability to the produce industry.

Gary has served on the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Small Business, Agriculture, and Labor Advisory Board, and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of FFVA. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Redland Christian Migrant Association. In 2006, Gary founded a charity tennis tournament that benefits migrant education. He was awarded the Plate of Bounty Award by the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association in February, 2010.

Angela Fernandez

As Director of Strategic Partnerships, Angela Fernandez works with industries and associations to identify opportunities and promote the implementation and use of GS1 Standards.

Currently, Angela is engaged in food safety and fresh food supply chain activities to support the business benefits offered by GS1 standards. Prior to this role, she worked for GS1 US for nine years as a marketing director, where she was responsible for strategic marketing and communications for several GS1 US brands.

Before joining GS1 US, Angela was employed by Signature Communications, where she was responsible for managing and developing marketing strategies for the company's key accounts. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Drexel University.

Dave Devlin

With over 25 years in foodservice Dave Devlin has held positions in a variety of areas, including distribution, sales, marketing, systems, and product data management. Drawing on this broad-based experience, he currently serves as Director of Product Information Management for U.S. Foodservice, one of America's largest foodservice distributors. In that role, he is responsible for ensuring the quality and accuracy of the company's extensive data resources.

Active in industry associations, Dave currently serves as a member of GS1 foodservice data standards working groups.

Steve Wright

With over 28 years of industry experience, from sales and merchandising to purchasing and operations, Steve provides a retailer's perspective on traceability initiatives.

A former Wholesale Category Manager, filling Spartan's more than 400 stores in Michigan, Steve has seen his share of fields and packing houses, giving him a unique take on domestic and international food safety issues – such as insights into Mexico's sanitation technologies and MSQ certification. He can also provide an insider's glimpse at retailer support of PDI. Steve has a B.S. from the University of Toledo.

Amy Boelens

Amy provides a firsthand perspective of how traceability initiatives have helped at Superior Sales’ state of the art distribution center in Michigan. Amy is currently in charge of all aspects of Food Safety/Third Party Audits for Superior Sales, Inc. as well as assisting our growers with Third Party Audits. She is also the Human Resources Administrator and Executive Assistant to the President of Superior Sales, Inc.

At Grand Valley State University, Amy completed studies in Self Inspection to Identify Hazards and Safety Training, plus HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) Training-Plan Development and Implementation, and a DEQ Michigan SARA Title III Tier Workshop in handling hazardous and toxic substances.