Jay Pack is the former owner and CEO of Standard Fruit & Vegetable Co., Inc., a $400 million integrated repacker, logistics, and value-added produce company that was sold to an NYSE company in January 2003. Subsequent to the sale of the company, Jay and his wife, Ruthie, created the Pack Family Foundation. One of their Foundation's many projects was a collaborative effort with PMA in 2004 which ultimately lead to the Pack Family/PMA Career Pathways Fund. This Fund brings top agricultural students from several colleges to PMA's Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition where they can learn about the rewards and opportunities a career in fresh produce affords. Since its inception, the program has grown and now hosts top agriculture, agribusiness and food marketing students and faculty from eight U.S. and four international universities at Fresh Summit. Forty-six percent of the Pack scholars who have graduated took their first job or an internship in the produce industry. This program is what sparked the creation of the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent (PMA FIT) and many other subsequent student programs since then.

Fresh: Please give us a brief description of your involvement in the produce industry.
JP: Immediately after graduating from Boston University, I embarked on a career in the banking industry which ultimately led to an opportunity with a start-up bank. Simultaneously, through my wife's family, I was introduced to the produce industry and was enamored by the passion of the people and the opportunities within the industry. After our bank was acquired by a large publicly-held bank, Ruthie and I chose not to move to New York, but rather to become involved with the Standard Fruit & Vegetable Company in Dallas, TX. Over the course of a decade, our management team changed the strategy of SFV from being a single-location wholesaler to a multi-location value-added company, with distribution in 35 states. After selling the company, I had a non-compete for a period of time, and I became involved with several non-produce related companies, but returned to the industry as soon as I could. Currently I have an equity position and am a board member in four produce companies: Earthbound Farm, Mission Produce, River Point Farms and Combs Produce Company. I am currently a member of the PMA FIT board and am also active with the Pack Family/PMA Career Pathways programs. In the past, I have also served on other PMA boards. In addition to the produce industry, I am currently a board member of Growth Capital Partners, a regional investment bank.

Fresh: And how about in the community?
JP: I think it is important to have balance in life which is why I spend approximately 30% of my time in the non-profit sector. Beyond my work with PMA, I serve on the Dallas Museum of Art's Board of Trustees and the Acquisition Committee. I also serve on the Board of Trustees of Sarah Lawrence College and their Finance Committee. In the past I have been involved with the North Texas Food Bank, having served as a past president and director. In addition, I have served on the board of the Dallas Jewish Federation and the Dallas After-School All-Stars. I am an alumni member of the Lone Star Chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization and am currently a member of WPO.

Fresh: Tell us why you and Ruthie worked with PMA (now PMA FIT) to create the premiere Career Pathways program.
JP: The concept originated in a meeting with Bryan Silbermann where we discussed the concept of giving back to the industry, with an educational component. In the mid 90's at Standard, we began recruiting college students and had tremendous success. However, we experienced students coming out of college with ag degrees, but with limited exposure to produce. We thought this program could articulate the produce story, which has meant so much to our family while ensuring that students were aware of the diverse career paths that the produce industry has to offer.

Fresh: With science, food safety and technology playing an increasing role in the produce business, what do job opportunities look like for students?
JP: The world of produce has become, and will continue, to grow more complex. With this complexity, we will need individuals with new skills in order to advance our businesses. Science has always played a great role in product development but food safety standards and regulations require skills of a different level. Technology will continue to make our businesses more sophisticated. The field is certainly more expansive and there are more opportunities than there were ten years ago. In the end, it's the people - people with the talent to address these trends - that will make the difference in our businesses. We need not only people with science and technology backgrounds, but also people with strong business and economic skills.

Fresh: The industry is grateful for your generous contribution. What advice would you give the industry on taking advantage of not only the Pack Family Career Pathways program but also the many other programs FIT provides?
JP: One of the things we do at the end of each year's Career Pathway program is get input from the students, faculty and industry members at our Pack Program Recap Meeting, to strive for continual improvement over the prior year. While that feedback is important, we also need participation and support which is why I encourage industry members to volunteer to serve as industry advisors for the Career Pathways programs or to serve as a Career Ambassador to help with university outreach. The Foundation is an industry partnership and it needs your time as well as your financial resources to achieve its mission. So give of yourself, participate in Foundation programs, and make a financial contribution to the annual fund. The future of our industry will be determined by the effort and investment we make today.