Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc. announced changes in the company organization to better serve its global customers, growers and marketing partners, effective January 31, 2011.
“Our mission is to continually delight berry consumers through alignment with our customers and our berry growers,” said J. Miles Reiter, Driscoll's Chairman and CEO. “Over the last 25 years, we have seen Driscoll’s grow and develop into a multi-faceted leader of the North American fresh berry industry, with expanding capabilities in other parts of the world. This new company structure will help us build a foundation for the next 25 years of continued growth in this exciting industry.”
“As we move into the future, we will have a broader global reach and must be well coordinated to pursue our core mission across a wide range of geographies and cultural traditions. The company structure we are announcing today will position Driscoll's to better meet this challenge.” Mr. Reiter stated
Foremost among the changes is the formation of a new regionally aligned organization within Driscoll’s. Kevin Murphy has been promoted to president of Driscoll’s of the Americas. Mr. Murphy has been elevated from his current position as Senior Vice President of Supply and Operations. “Kevin has demonstrated the skills, focus and leadership required to take our business in the Americas to the levels called for in the strategic plan,” noted Mr. Reiter.
All of Driscoll's North American (U.S. and Mexico) operations as well as Marketing will be brought into the new Driscoll's of the America’s business unit. Responsibility for South American (Chile and Argentina) operations will be transitioned later in 2011.
Driscoll's of the Americas will be joining the recently expanded Driscoll’s of Europe and Driscoll’s Australia business units. Driscoll's of Europe and Driscoll's Australia will continue to operate under the direction of Soren Bjorn, Senior Vice President of International Business.
Driscoll’s executive team will remain unchanged and includes:
Miles Reiter – CEO and Chairman
Sean Martin – CFO
Steve Stein – VP of Human Resources
Kelley Bell – Director of Community and Environmental Initiatives
Soren Bjorn – SVP of International Business & Global Technologies
Kevin Murphy – President of the Americas
Michael Hollister – SVP Market Group, the Americas
This team will lead the development of Driscoll’s strategic direction, while creating corporate capabilities and resource allocation guidelines that serve the global enterprise.
Mr. Reiter commented, “By focusing on developing a corporate wide capability, Driscoll’s will not only better serve the operations that are currently established in 18 countries and 5 continents, but also position itself to integrate any further business units or geographic extensions quickly and effectively.”
Driscoll’s is the world’s largest distributor of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. It is a fourth-generation, family owned and operated company and uses only natural breeding methods to create plant varieties to produce ONLY THE FINEST BERRIES™. Their mission is to continually delight berry consumers. Driscoll’s conventional and organic strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are grown by independent farmers around the globe and are available year ‘round.
Source: Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc.