Loxahatachee, FL – J&J Produce has recently hired several new employees in the areas of operations, sales and food safety as the company continues to grow and expand to a national platform.
David Beecher joins J&J as the new Vice President of Operations where he will be responsible for facility operations in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Arizona and the Dominican Republic. Over the past 13 years, Beecher has gained experience in the produce industry by working for Bland Farms, Rosemont Farms and IFCO Systems. According to Beecher, “J&J is a well-established company with a diversified customer base, in both the foodservice and retail divisions. They have a strong management team and private-equity partner that are both in support of the national growth opportunities. I am very excited about helping the company continue to implement these best practices.” In his spare time, Beecher enjoys fishing and spending time at his children’s gymnastic meets and soccer games.
As the new Vice President of Food Safety and Responsibility, Mike Bentel brings with him over 20 years of experience from NSF International, Naturipe Farms and Wal-Mart. Bentel’s experience includes certifications in ISO 22000, HACCP, GAP and active industry roles with the United Fresh, PMA and FDA on food safety and technology issues. “While J&J has always been a proactive leader in food safety, Mike will assist in taking us to the next level as we continue to develop our national sales plan with international sourcing to compliment our domestic production,” stated Brian Rayfield, VP of Business Development and Marketing.
As part of the company’s regional expansion plans, Brian Helms has been hired as Assistant Division Manager to assist with the day-to-day management of the White Pine, Tennessee facility, which encompasses purchasing, sales, warehousing, repacking and transportation management. Helms previous experience with regional and national retail and foodservice companies provides a long history of experience in produce. “J&J was immediately the first company I thought of when I made the decision to move out of distribution and into the grower/packer side of the business. The chance to be apart of the J&J team and their continuing growth is truly exciting,” Helms said. Helms now lives in Morristown, TN with his wife of 20 years and has three grown children, one of whom is currently serving with the US Military.
New to the sales and marketing department of J&J Produce, is industry veteran Chris Paul, who brings a lifetime of experience to the company, from quality control to purchasing and sales. According to Paul, “This is a great opportunity to sell and market all varieties of produce from a well-respected company focused on quality.” Paul will head up the newly opened Midwest office based in New Glarus, Wisconsin. In his spare time, Paul enjoys participating in all outdoor activities with his wife, two sons and dog.
“This is an exciting time to be a part of J&J Produce,” remarked Rayfield. “Aggressive business goals and capital expansions are creating new pathways for business growth to meet the needs of new and existing companies and talented people in every part of our business make that possible.”
Established in 1983, J&J Produce specializes in growing cucumbers, bell peppers, squash, tomatoes and eggplant. J&J manages over 3,000 acres of production from their own farms and partners, and has operations in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
Source: J&J Produce