The Eastern Produce Council (EPC) announced the members of its 2026 Leadership Class. The 18 accomplished produce professionals will benefit from the program's dual-medium learning environment throughout the coming year. "We provide a variety of industry and professional development opportunities allowing our participants to build on their careers," says Susan McAleavey Sarlund, EPC Executive Director. "The networking benefits they experience with each other also prove to be very valuable."
© Eastern Produce Council
Participants selected for the 2026 program include: Alec Arena, Frank Donio Inc.; Stacy Conway, C.A. Ferolie; Timothy Dunn, Katzman Distribution; Judy Fierman, Fierman Produce Exchange Inc.; Michael Hearn, Four Seasons Produce; Ryan Kelly, Baldor Specialty Foods; Dylan Lang, Fowler Farms; Joycelyn Muise, F&S Fresh Foods; Veritza Ortiz, Four Seasons Produce; Paul Pascal, Sunny Valley Intl.; Meetkumar Patel, Wakefern Food Corp.; Natasha Phan, Mastronardi Produce; Dante Savanello, JOH; Meghan Szymansky, Crispy Green; Scott Tepper, Fierman Produce Exchange Inc.; Jake Walters, John Vena Inc.; Ben Weir, Local Bounti; and Chris Zuhlke, ProducePackaging.com.
© Eastern Produce Council
The 2026 program will kick off in March with a Rutgers University professional development seminar on coaching, team building, communication styles, and giving and receiving feedback. In April, the class will enjoy another Rutgers seminar on Leveraging Social Media and AI for Business Growth and then attend the EPC's General Membership Event at TopGolf. June brings a farm tour at Frank Donio Inc. for the class as well as a tour of Holt Logistics. The program will be capped off at the New York Produce Show in December with attendance at Cornell University's Future Leaders in Produce Program, the NYPS Opening Breakfast and Trade Show, and a tour of Hunts Point Terminal Market.
© Eastern Produce Council
"Our proven program delivers a unique combination of knowledge and experience," says McAleavey Sarlund. "We have an amazing program of opportunities for the year, a talented group of class members, and a host of notable industry professionals to guide them. We look forward to the growth and relationships to come from these events in both the field and the classroom."
© Eastern Produce Council
The 2025 EPC Leadership Class participants in a panel at NYPS Foundational Excellence event.
For more information:
Susan McAleavey Sarlund
Eastern Produce Council
Tel: +1 (908) 723-0645
[email protected]
www.easternproducecouncil.com
