Pacific International Marketing pledge of $250,000 pushes PMA FIT capital campaign
over $4 million mark
Newark, Del. – Pacific International Marketing of Salinas, Calif., is celebrating its twentieth anniversary by making a strong commitment to the produce industry: the company has pledged $250,000 to support Produce Marketing Association's Foundation for Industry Talent (PMA FIT) work to attract, retain and develop the people needed to lead the industry in the future.
The contribution helps the foundation's capital campaign surpass the $4 million mark of a $5 million goal; the group will close the campaign after the conclusion of PMA's Fresh Summit International Convention and Exposition Oct. 2-5 in Anaheim, Calif.
Pacific International Marketing celebrates anniversary with bold gesture
Announcing the company's donation, Pacific International Marketing's president and CEO highlighted PMA FIT's work to attract new talent.
"Human capital is everything to our business, and we are facing a shortage of passionate young people with an interest in produce," said Pacific International Marketing President and CEO Tom Russell, explaining the impetus for his company's donation. "It is imperative to the industry to support programs like FIT to ensure we have a proactive approach in finding and recruiting bright individuals that will keep the produce industry moving forward."
Founded in 1989, Pacific International Marketing is an employee-owned company that farms both conventionally and organically in Arizona, California and Mexico under its Dynasty Farms and Pure Pacific Organics subsidiaries. The company is also engaged in harvesting, processing and cooling, handling product from seed to shelf. Russell notes the company is committed to new talent, including offering an internship program.
"If we sit on the sidelines and watch the best and brightest get recruited by other industries, we have no one to blame but ourselves," said Russell. "By making this contribution to PMA FIT, we are investing not only in someone else's future, but our own."
The foundation's current activities to attract new talent to the industry include event scholarship programs to expose students to careers in the produce industry, a career awareness campaign reaching more than 70 universities, managing a produce industry-specific, job bank for entry– and intermediate-level positions, an on-site career fair at PMA's Fresh Summit, and human resources best practices tools.
The foundation also offers programs to further develop the leadership skills of the industry's existing talent, under the umbrella of the foundation's Leadership Institute. Current institute offerings include the annual Leadership Symposium, which brings some of the latest management innovators to industry leaders via a small, intimate setting designed to help leaders hone their management skills and prepare for the future. Also, the foundation's Fresh Perspective women's leadership events help develop and advance careers of this growing demographic, while a burgeoning social media network for young professionals provides an opportunity for them to build relationships and interact. A new emerging leaders program will be announced later this year.
Pacific International Marketing President Tom Russell.$4 million pledged, foundation's goal is $5 million
With over $4 million in pledges now in hand, the three-year-old foundation is close to achieving its founding capital campaign goal. The foundation was started in 2006; its capital campaign, "Our Industry... Our People," seeks to raise $5 million to support foundation's programs from 2008-2012.
"Pacific International Marketing's very generous donation is a huge boost to the foundation's fundraising goal," said Bill Schuler, chairman of PMA FIT's Board of Directors, and president and chief executive officer of Castellini Company LLC, Wilder, Ky. "This contribution demonstrates how the produce industry is keeping the importance of recruiting and developing talent for their organizations in focus even in today's tough economic climate."
Foundation staff took the opportunity to recognize the fundraising efforts of the foundation's board and staff.
"We could not have attained this level of industry involvement without the hard work and commitment of our board of directors," said PMA FIT Executive Director Cindy Seel. "They and staff have been working together diligently for the last 24 months, and it is great to see everyone's efforts paying off."
About PMA Foundation for Industry Talent (PMA FIT)
The PMA Foundation for Industry Talent was founded in 2006 by Produce Marketing Association, the leading trade association for the produce industry. PMA FIT is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation providing produce companies with unique programs to attract, develop and retain the produce industry's most valuable resource – talented people. PMA FIT is dedicated to ensuring a quality workforce for the industry, and making a positive difference in the lives of current and future produce professionals by developing their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success.
About Produce Marketing Association (PMA)
Founded in 1949, the Produce Marketing Association is the leading trade association representing nearly 3,000 companies from every segment of the global produce and floral supply chain. Members rely on PMA year round for the business solutions they need to increase sales and consumption, build strong professional relationships, and expand their business opportunities. For more information, visit www.pma.com.
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