 Miles Reiter has been part of Driscoll’s his entire life. The grandson of Ed Reiter, co-founder of Driscoll’s, Miles became a strawberry farmer in the early 1970s in the Pajaro Valley. He has been the chairman of Driscoll’s since 1998, and was its CEO 2000-2015, helping it become the largest berry supplier in the United States. He has also served in leadership roles in the California Strawberry Commission, the Western Growers Association, and the Produce Marketing Association. (General session, Friday morning) |
 Diego Martinez is the current president of President of the National Association of Berries Exporters in Mexico (ANEBERRIES), an association of 22 exporter companies of blueberry, strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, established with the aim of setting the highest quality standards and regulations for all the industry. Since 2012, he has been the CEO of Hortifrut Mexico, part of Chile-based Hortifrut, one of the largest berry exporters worldwide. Born in England, he has lived most of his life in Mexico. (General session, Friday morning) |
 Tom AmRhein is Vice President and Research & Technical Director of Naturipe Berry Growers, Inc. a grower-owned marketing cooperative that is also one of the owners of Naturipe Farms, Inc. He is also currently chair of the California Strawberry Commission. (Opening reception, Wednesday evening) |
 Roland Fumasi is Vice President and Senior Analyst—Produce for Rabobank, a financial institution with a focus on agricultural lending and research in the Netherlands, California, and around the world. With a background in agribusiness research and international market development and agriculture finance, he has been following the caneberry industry for a number of years. He was raised on a dairy and farming operation in the Sacramento Valley. (General session, Saturday morning) |
 Allison Beadle heads up the marketing and communications team for the National Processed Raspberry Council and is founder and CEO of Wild Hive Marketing & Consulting, based in Austin, TX.She started her career as a registered dietician before moving into marketing and nutrition communication for various brands and commodity organizations. (General session, Saturday morning) |
Breakout Session Presenters
This is the list as of early February. A complete list of presenters withtheir contact information will be included in the on-site printed program and on-line Proceedings.
Patrick Ballew, Ekland Marketing Company, Chico, CA
Elizabeth Bihn, Produce Safety Alliance, National Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Program
Andre Biscaro, Irrigation and Water Resources Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension,
Jenny Broome, Driscoll’s, Watsonville, CA
Jim Cane, USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Lab, Logan UT
Mark Coxeter, Meiosis, UK
Chrissie Davis, Koppert Biological Systems, CA
Patricia Dingus, YARA International
Chris Eckert, Eckert Farms, Belleville, MO
Gina Fernandez, Dept. of Horticultural Science, NC State University
Chad Finn, USDA-ARS, Corvallis, OR
Greg & Donna France, DG Berry, Santa Monica, CA
Eduardo Garcia, California Coast Crop Consulting
Mark Gaskell, UC Farm Advisor, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties
Luis Gaxiola, Cravo Equipment Ltd.
Dave Holden, Holden Research and Consulting, Camarillo, CA
Anna Howell, UC Cooperative Extension, Ventura, CA
Jimmy Klick, Driscoll’s, Oxnard, CA
Tom Lister, USDA-Specialty Crop Market News
Beth Mitcham, UC-Davis Postharvest Technology Center
Tim Nourse, Nourse Farms, S. Deerfield, MA
Steve Petrie, Yara International
Tyler Rood, California Cherry Board Research Coordinator
Bryan Saylor, Haygrove, Inc.
Bernadine Strik, Dept. of Horticulture, Oregon State University
Fumiomi Takeda, USDA-ARS, Kearneysville, WV
Ken Van Dyke, KV Farms, Cornelius, OR
William Urrutia, Iscatech
Courtney Weber, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University
There will be additional presenters in the “New Products/Technology” track and for the “Talking Lunch” sessions.
