Michael Medline, president and CEO of Sobeys and parent company Empire Co. Ltd., will retire in May 2026, allowing the board of directors to conduct a thorough internal and external search for his replacement. As part of its succession planning process, the board has created a special committee to oversee the identification and selection of the company's next CEO.

"Michael has been the true embodiment of a resilient, adaptable and courageous business leader since joining Empire more than eight years ago," said Jim Dickson, chair of the board of Empire. "Not only did he lead the difficult

Industry veteran Bruce Hinchman, former sales manager at M&R Co., has partnered with The Estes Ranch and will focus on expanding the reach and visibility of the company’s premium cherries and hard squash across key markets.

With over three decades of experience in agricultural sales and produce marketing, Hinchman brings a wealth of knowledge, deep industry connections and a strong track record of success to the table. His role in the partnership will center on sales strategy, customer outreach and strengthening distribution channels for Estes Ranch’s seasonal and year-round offerings.

“This

Tyler Price has been elected chairman of the Washington Apple Education Foundation board of directors. Price was elected at the foundation’s annual meeting held April 24 at Central Washington University.

Price is a fourth-generation tree fruit grower and the CEO of Price Cold Storage & Packing Co. in Yakima.  He brings deep industry roots and a wealth of strategic leadership experience to the role. Before returning to the family business, Price helped shape the global product strategy for Nike and Apple. He holds a business degree from the University of Washington and an MBA from Stanford

Markon has hired Doug Fisher as the new director of multi-unit sales. A seasoned leader with deep roots in California’s Salinas Valley, Fisher brings more than three decades of produce industry experience. After graduating from Salinas High School, Fisher went on to study in San Diego and Fresno before returning home to begin his produce career as a broker.

Fisher’s journey through the fresh produce world has taken him from the fields of Salinas to the Rockies, where he opened and operated a foodservice produce warehouse in Bozeman, MT. He returned to Salinas to join Pro*Act, eventually

CMI Sales Manager Sarah Barkley has officially qualified for the 2025 CrossFit Games, ranking No. 8 in the world in her division. This is an exceptional achievement and a powerful testament to Barkley’s grit, dedication and unmatched skill in the sport of CrossFit.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of athletes from around the globe compete in the CrossFit Open, the first stage in the road to the games. In Barkley’s age group alone, over 9,000 athletes participated worldwide.

The CrossFit Semifinals serve as the second qualifying stage on the road to the 2025 CrossFit Games. The top 125

Kwik Lok Corp., headquartered in Yakima, WA, hired Fernando González to the team as Southwest regional sales manager. González brings a wealth of experience in sales and customer relationship management from a variety of industries. He will play a vital role in expanding Kwik Lok's customer base and furthering the company's commitment to providing high-quality, sustainable packaging solutions.

Before joining Kwik Lok, González was account development manager at Arrow Electronics, where he led strategic sales initiatives, built strong relationships with senior-level collaborators, customers