Staff
Lance has more than 20 years experience in the produce industry and is active in government, industry and civic groups including Trade Facilitation committees at U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Greater Nogales and Santa Cruz Country Port Authority, Government Relations Council, Food Safety & Technology and Supply Chain Logistics Councils of the United Fresh Produce Association, North American Produce Transportation Working Group, Produce Traceability Initiative Association Interest Group, North American Trade Task Force, a committee of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association and Southern Arizona Transportation Council.
With more than 14 experience in the produce industry, Georgina represents the FPAA on the Mexican Customs and Mexican Military Outreach Meetings, the Technical Peer Group for Foreign Trade Facilitation, the Nogales Corridor Workgroup and facilitates the coordination for the Trucking Industry Workgroup, which includes Mexican growers’ organizations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Arizona Department of Transportation, and trucking companies.
Marlene has 18 years experience in the produce industry and represents the FPAA on the Nogales Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee, is a board member for the Pimeria Alta Historical Museum, and she recently joined the Zonta Club of Nogales.
Allison has more than 15 years experience in the produce industry and represents the FPAA on the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority and the Economic Development Foundation. She is also a board member with Nogales Community Development and volunteers with an animal assistance non-profit, Louie and Friends Foundation.
Conchita has 32 years experience in the produce industry and volunteers accounting services for the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority and also oversees all their financial activities.
Emmis has 11 years experience in the produce industry and represents the FPAA on the Nogales Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee, she works with the Santa Cruz College to provide Continuing Education courses for the community and is a member of the Local Advisory Committee for Career and Technical Education at Rio Rico High School.
Board of Directors
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Gonzalo Avila, Past Chairman Malena Produce, Inc. |
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Matt Mandel Sun Fed |
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Bobby Astengo Peppers Plus, LLC. |
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Alejandro Canelos Apache Produce Imports, LLC. |
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Jaime Chamberlain J-C Distributing, Inc. |
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Chris Ciruli Ciruli Brothers |
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Ricardo Crisantes Wholesum Family Farms |
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Sabrina Hallman Sierra Seed Company, LLC |
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Martin Ley Shipley Sales |
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Ernesto Maldonado Star Produce |
| Jose Antonio Martinez
Divine Flavor |
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Brian Bernauer Calavo Growers |
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Scott Vandervoet, Chairman Vandervoet and Associates, Inc. |
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James Martin Wilson Produce, LLC |
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Bert Monteverde, Jr. H.M. Distributors, Inc. |
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John Pandol Pandol Brothers, Inc. |
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Walter Ram The Giumarra Companies |
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| Fernando Sandoval Nogales Customs House Brokers Association |
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Rod Sbragia Tricar Sales, Inc. |
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| Enrique Gracia
Flavor King |
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Mikee Suarez M.A.S Melons & Grapes, LLC |
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Leonardo Tarriba, Chairman Elect Farmer’s Best, International |
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Jimmy Munguia Del Campo Supreme |
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| Chuck Thomas Thomas Produce |
Committees
The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, on behalf of its members, advocates for support of the fresh produce industry not only on a city and state level but also at the national level. The FPAA members converge on Washington D.C. during an annual advocacy trip each year in order to further strengthen governmental ties and support. It’s not uncommon to frequently see FPAA staff and members in Washington, DC, advocating for the fresh produce industry and demonstrating the benefits of trade with Mexico for U.S. businesses and the economy. It is an impressive sight when a large group of FPAA members sit down at conference tables and in Congressional offices to advocate for the association’s member companies.
The FPAA encourages members to become involved!
The executive committee is nominated by the board of director distributor members, and consists of the Chairman, Chairman Elect and seven (7) distributor member directors. The executive committee may exercise the powers of the board of directors, and shall report its actions to the board of directors at the board of directors’ meetings. The executive committee meets no less than monthly.
| Gonzalo Avila | James Martin |
| Brian Bernauer | Jaime Chamberlain |
| Matt Mandel | Martin Ley |
| Walter Ram | Mikee Suarez |
| Leonardo Tarriba | Scott Vandervoet |
The budget committee is responsible for analyzing the FPAA’s past income and expenditures, projecting the upcoming year’s truck crossings and estimating expenditures to set the budget for the upcoming scal year.
| Gonzalo Avila | Alejandro Canelos |
| Matt Mandel | Jaime Chamberlain |
| Bert Monteverde, Jr. |
The building committee is responsible for making decisions on infrastructure of FPAA office including additions and alterations to the office building.
| Gonzalo Avila | Alejandro Canelos |
| Jaime Chamberlain | Matt Mandel |
| Bert Monteverde, Jr. |
The crisis management committee is responsible for working with FPAA staff to develop and continually improve contingency plans on all possible negative events that could impact FPAA members. is would include: food safety outbreaks, border closures and other committee-defined potential crisis.
| Alejandro Canelos | Martin Ley |
| Jaime Chamberlain | Walter Ram |
| Chris Ciruli |
The convention committee is responsible for establishing the goal of this celebration as well as overseeing its planning and execution.
| Rod Sbragia | Gonzalo Avila |
| Chuck Thomas | Rosie Cornelius |
| Alejandro Canelos |
The higher education committee works closely with educational institutions such as UA and ASU to facilitate intern and research programs.
| Chris Ciruli | Chairman, Mango Division |
| Jimmy Munguia | Chairman, Tomato Division |
| John Pandol | Chairman, Grape Division |
| Gonzalo Avila | |
| Rod Sbragia | |
| Scott Vandervoet |