Pear Bureau Northwest announced that Kevin D. Moffitt, president and CEO, will step down after 35 years with the organization.
Moffitt will relinquish day-to-day duties as president and CEO as of July 1, 2024. To help ensure a smooth transition for his successor, he will continue in a part-time mentoring and training role until the end of the 2024/25 season.
Moffitt will also transition out of his role as manager of the Fresh Pear Committee of USDA's federal Marketing Order 927, overseeing all regulatory functions for the marketing order.
Moffitt will relinquish day-to-day duties as president and CEO as of July 1, 2024.
Moffitt joined Pear Bureau Northwest in 1989 as the director of international marketing. In this position, he developed and managed marketing programs for USA Pears in more than 30 countries. He also drew on his prior experience as a banana ripening technician with Dole to compile pear ripening research and develop the industry's first ripening guidelines and handling manual in 1999; this manual is still the go-to guide today. Moffitt has continued to advocate for conditioning pears, working with a 3rd party consultant since 2001 to train shippers and retailers on best practices and advantages for conditioning pears to increase consumer satisfaction and repeat sales of fresh pears. The program has grown exponentially under his guidance and today, there are 58 retail banners in the U.S. and Canada carrying conditioned pears.
Moffitt was named president and CEO of the bureau in 2001. "Kevin has embraced the role of being an advocate for growers and a champion for pears," said Jordan Matson, chairman of Pear Bureau Northwest. "During his 23 seasons in this position, he has served as president for one-quarter of the bureau's 93-year history. Throughout this time, he has demonstrated a passion for creative marketing with a high level of execution. He has been agile and open to change, ready to make bold moves and stay ahead of trends. We thank him for his decades of dedication and effective leadership as he moves into his next chapters in life."
Over the years, Moffitt has also been actively involved with national and international produce associations. His past and present appointments include chairman of the World Apple and Pear Association, chairman of the United States Agricultural Export Development Council, member of the Board of Trustees of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, member of the board of United Fresh Produce Association, member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Technical Advisory Committee for Fruit and Vegetables and chairman of the Produce Marketing Association's International Trade Conference Committee.
For more information:
Jim Morris
USA Pears
jmorris@usapears.com
www.usapears.org