After nearly three decades on the Superfresh Growers sales team, Dan Harrington, account manager, plans to retire at the end of the year.
Harrington was one of the first employees at Domex Marketing, joining family owners Ed Kershaw and his nephew Robert Kershaw in 1994. Reliable legend says that Harrington showed up day after day until “they had to give him the job”. As the longest-tenured salesperson ever hired by the Kershaw family, Harrington set a standard for the Superfresh sales team.
“Dan is an institution. He is seen as much of a fixture at Superfresh Growers as Robert [Kershaw]. His quality of character and purity of purpose have defined the sales ethos of this company,” says director of business development Paul Newstead. “Every single employee on our sales team has in some way been guided by Dan.”
Earlier this month, Harrington became the fourth employee added to the Superfresh Growers Hall of Fame.
“It is the people like Dan who took a chance on the company back when it was nothing but a dream and has turned it into the industry powerhouse it is today,” says Robert Kershaw, CEO.
“When I joined the sales team, Robert gave me a Produce Blue Book and I started calling. I combed through that thing looking for people to call,” says Harrington. Over three decades, Harrington has built a rapport with retail customers, especially in Canada.
Harrington spent years working with the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and most recently, spent the last six years serving on the CPMA marketing committee.
Dan Harrington, Bill Gammie, and Ed Kershaw at PMA Fresh Summit in 1999.
Before Superfresh Growers, Harrington graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media Studies. He started his career in the concrete industry, but soon found his passion was in produce working for the Kershaw family.
Harrington has passed his passion for working for Superfresh Growers to his three sons, who have each taken on integral roles within the company. His oldest, John, started working for the Kershaw family in
his young teens, stacking 50-pound bags of lime. Twins Sean and Danny started a few years later on the production line. John is now operations manager, Sean Harrington is production coordinator and Danny is sales assistant.
“I am very proud of what we were able to build here over the past 28 years,” says Dan Harrington. “I have wonderful memories of all the people I have met along the way. Thank you Kershaw Family for allowing me to come aboard all those years ago and allowing my three boys to continue the adventure. I will be forever grateful.”
On December 10, Harrington was celebrated at the company's Christmas party where he became the fourth employee added to the Superfresh Growers Hall of Fame. "We wish Dan the best as he enjoys retirement."
Catherine Gipe-Stewart
Superfresh Growers
Tel: +1 (509) 966-1814
[email protected]
www.superfreshgrowers.com