Marco Andrea Corbo, vice president of sales and operations at J. E. Russell, died on Tuesday, June 18. He was 46. Mr. Corbo was known for his diligent work ethic and unwavering devotion to his family. His gentle and humble demeanor will be greatly missed.

Mr. Corbo started his journey with J.E. Russell after graduating high school. He was initially involved through his father’s trucking company, Falconcrest. He handled truck loading and unloading at Pearson International Airport, ensuring timely deliveries to the terminal. He began as a dock worker, advancing through the operations division

Benny (Buck) DeTroy Shuman, founder of Shuman Farms, the largest growers of Vidalia onions, died May 31. He was 91.

Mr. Shuman, born on Jan. 4, 1933, in Reidsville, GA, developed into a devout, dedicated and industrious cornerstone of his community. Following high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Subsequently, he spent five years at U.S. Plastering in Atlanta before returning to Reidsville in 1958. There, he acquired Reidsville Feed and Seed, which he later rebranded first as Shuman Fertilizer and then as Shuman Farms, marking the beginning of a new business venture as a Vidalia onion

Steve Michael Volpe, who started his produce career after finishing the seventh grade and later founded Royal Madera Vineyards, died peacefully on June 10; he was 100 years old.

Mr. Volpe was born on Aug. 20, 1923 in Cleveland to Louis and Esther Volpe. He was one of seven children. His early years began at Our Lady of Peace Catholic School. Upon completion of seventh grade, he joined the family business, P. Volpe & Sons in Cleveland. He enlisted in the navy in 1944 and was humbly honored to serve his country.

On June 5, 1954 Mr. Volpe married Gloria Jean Marra. In 1956, the couple welcomed

Make no mistake about it, Mark McBride is old school.

He is proudly going to take that characterization into retirement with him when he steps down from his sales position at Coastline Family Farms, where he has spent the final two decades of his notable career.

Tami Guitierrez, vice president of marketing and sales for Salinas, CA-based Coastline, said the company’s vegetable sales expert will be sorely missed. “Mark is very dedicated to the produce industry. He is brilliant, quick-witted, very funny and has always been very committed to his work,” she said. “He always has a positive

Mike LaMont has joined MyLand, a soil health company, as senior director, algae operations and innovation. With nearly three decades of excellence in biotechnology and algae innovation, LaMont will play a pivotal role in enhancing MyLand’s operations.

In his role, LaMont will contribute to advancements in algae science that will drive further benefits of the MyLand service to growers. He will oversee algae and lab operations, leading a diverse team of scientists and engineering staff on the operations team.

As of July 1 Héctor Enrique Luján Valladolid will take on the role of CEO for Hortifrut, leading the company's worldwide operations. Luján will initially be based in the United States.

Current CEO Juan Ignacio Allende will continue to be a board member of Hortifrut in subsidiaries and related companies, including Naturipe in North America, and leading other strategic functions to be defined with the board of directors. Allende leaves a great legacy after his successful career. He had the ability to build alliances, high-performance teams and to develop business relationships, which have