The Washington Apple Education Foundation held its annual meeting to elect and recognize officers and board members.

Laurie Knebusch was elected chairman of WAEF, replacing outgoing chairman Chris Willett.  Knebusch was elected to the board of directors in 2017.  At that time, she was the general manager at Cowiche Growers.  She has served in an officer capacity at WAEF for the last two years.

Retiring chairman Chris Willett was honored by board members for his service.  Willett has been chairman of WAEF since 2019.  He and fellow officers served in their roles for an additional year during

Produce industry veteran Scott Danner has been named as the new general manager of C&C Produce in Kansas City, MO.

“C&C has had a severe growth spike and I am humbled to join the team,” Danner said. “I’m looking forward to bringing my experience and industry contacts here to help them continue that spike in growth.”

As part of his role as general manager, Danner will oversee all departments, and look for efficiencies in operations.

Danner most recently served as president of Pembroke Park, FL-based Premier Produce, a position he held for nearly seven years. Prior to that, he held a 10

Russ Davis Wholesale announced the expansion of its leadership team with the goal of positioning the organization to meet the needs created by a growing demand for fresh food. Pat Miller will assume the role of chief marketing officer, Jerry Arne will be the vice president of business partnerships, Tyler Neu has been named vice president of retail sales and Matt Gross was promoted to vice president of operations.

“Creating these roles will help us achieve our long-term goals while also maintaining focus on excellence in customer service and quality as the foundation for future success,” said

Salinas Valley legacy grower-shipper Tanimura & Antle announced the return of fourth-generation family member Brian Antle as the company’s executive vice president of sales. In his new role, Antle will oversee the sales department and business development for the company’s premium fresh produce.

“I’m excited to return full time to a position at Tanimura & Antle and look forward to the opportunities and the future that lies ahead taking on this new role. I have enjoyed the opportunities I have been given to learn our family and employee-owned business from the ground up and now look forward to

Calvin Tribiano, a veteran Oppy sales executive, died May 6 following a brief illness. He was 71.

Mr. Tribiano joined Oppy’s East Coast sales team in 1988. In the subsequent decades, he carved out a legendary sales career with the leading grower, marketer and distributor of fresh produce, building the market for Oppy products while serving as a trusted mentor to many within the organization.

Mr. Tribiano was born Dec. 25, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York. He studied business administration at Wagner College, graduating in 1972 before embarking on his career in produce.

“Cal loved the produce life

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, announced the election of two additional members to its board of directors: Lori Tauber Marcus and Kristin Colber-Baker.

As a company committed to promoting diversity and inclusion at all levels of its organization, Tauber Marcus and Colber-Baker join fellow independent board member Mary Ann Cloyd, an independent director serving as chair of the audit committee and member of the governance committee. With the new