J&K Fresh (JKF) has announced new additions to its management teams on both coasts.
For the West Coast, JKF welcomes Gabriel (Gabe) Padilla as director of operations. Padilla brings 23 years of experience to the company. After graduating from Iowa State with a degree in Agronomy and International Agriculture, he joined the USDA and was transferred to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). There, he held the position of chief agriculture specialist for the Los Angeles and Long Beach Seaports. After that, Padilla went to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) as an area representative/investigator. His extensive experience in the international agriculture arena brings a wealth of knowledge to JKF.
CEO Raymond Keffer and COO Robert Lee-Hoy are excited to have Padilla join the Westcoast management team and know that his expertise will continue to elevate the day-to-day operations and support the company's mission, "For a Fresh Clearance."
© J&K Fresh
L-R: Gabriel Padilla, Ed Fitzgerald
J&K Fresh East div. of 721 Logistics has added Ed Fitzgerald to its team as its vice president of compliance and trade services. Fitzgerald brings more than 30 years of experience in customs brokerage, trade compliance, and business development. He earned his U.S. Customs Broker License in 1996 and is a certified customs specialist.
Fitzgerald's background includes extensive experience in brokerage operations and compliance, with a specialization in fresh produce, food and beverage, forest products, and base metals. A long-standing member of the trade community, he previously served as president of the World Trade Association of Philadelphia and treasurer of Ship Philly First. He currently serves on the boards of directors of the Chilean Chamber of Commerce, the Maritime Exchange of the Delaware River & Bay, and the American Metals Supply Chain Institute, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from La Salle University and a supply chain certification from Penn State University.
"We are excited to welcome Ed to the team and look forward to the experience and leadership he brings as we continue to grow," said John Ercolani, president. "The role of the customs broker is even more critical in our current trade environment, and Ed's addition will provide our clients with another valuable resource to help navigate through it."
For more information:
J&K Fresh, LLC
Tel: +1 (310) 419-8770
[email protected]
http://www.jkfresh.com/
