SALINAS, Ca. – Brian Antle, Vice President of Harvest for Tanimura & Antle, has been honored in the Produce Business Class of 2016 40-Under-Forty. The class is selected based on professional accomplishments, demonstrated leadership, and industry/community contributions after being nominated by peers. The annual class is among the most renowned honors in the produce industry and recognizes 40 young leaders of the produce industry under the age of 40.
Antle is a fifth generation family member of Tanimura & Antle and oversees the harvest for 35,000 acres of 24 fresh produce items; totaling up to 37 million cartons annually. Beginning his career at the age of 14, he has worked his way up the company ladder, starting with riding his bike to work each morning as a young teenager to move irrigation pipe for the Tanimura brothers. After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Antle managed various commodity programs, including the company’s largest crop, iceberg lettuce.
Antle credits much of his success to serving in positions that he now manages. “I thank my family for making me start on the ranch and work my way to my current position since it’s much easier to manage at a higher level knowing what should be going on at each level.”
Outside of his current role, he has been instrumental in a variety of projects that positively impact the industry, community and company. Following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps, Antle’s commitment to continual innovation has ultimately resulted in the company’s new employee housing (Spreckels Crossing), an advanced forecasting system and various new harvest and farm technology. In 2015, he received the Forbe’s Impact Award in Innovation for the company’s Plant Tape automated transplanting system. Antle as an innovative leader also serves on the board of directors for the United Fresh Produce Association, the Grower Shipper Association of the Central Coast, the Monterey County Farm Bureau, and Monterey County Ag Education.
“I have always had my grandfather, dad, and uncle to rely on as well as the wealth of knowledge the Tanimura family provides. I’m fortunate to have all of these people to turn to with hundreds of years of farming experience, which always makes it easy to find advice”, states Antle.
About Tanimura & Antle:
Tanimura & Antle is an industry leader whose commitment to premium quality produce has remained strong since its formation in 1982. The Tanimura & Antle families combined more than 50 years of experience and knowledge to establish a produce company unrivaled in its quality products, innovation and dedication to growers, customers, consumers and employees. Today, as one of the largest independent lettuce growers in the United States, Tanimura & Antle farms more than 30,000 acres of rich, fertile farmland and ships a full line of premium fresh produce products throughout North America, Europe and Asia. www.taproduce.com www.familyfarming.taproduce.com http://www.facebook.com/taproduce https://twitter.com/taproduce
Source: Tanimura & Antle