Brian Bocock, vice president of product management for Naturipe Farms, was named the 2020 Alex Wetherbee Award winner by the North American Blueberry Council.

The award, named after the late Alex Wetherbee, one of the founders of NABC and a blueberry marketer in New Jersey who was respected industrywide, recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to the industry in the areas of marketing and promotion.

“There’s no one in the blueberry industry who deserves this award more than Brian,” said Art Galletta, president of Atlantic Blueberry Co. and chair of the NABC Nominations and Awards Committee. “He’s known throughout the blueberry industry as a friend to both growers and buyers, and his contributions have had a profound effect on moving our product forward.”

Bocock, also a blueberry farmer, has been innovative in his approach to blueberry sales and has significantly increased sales in the blueberry category for Naturipe Farms, said Galletta, who added, “He’s kept the grower at the forefront in his approach to generating fresh sales of our product.”

“I can’t think of another award I could receive that means as much to me as the Alex Wetherbee Award,” said Bocock, who is also a member of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council Promotion Committee. “So many blueberry industry members are family farms and families, and to have that group think of me like this is truly humbling. To receive the award from an industry sales icon like Art Galletta meant almost as much as the award itself. Art is a true gentleman and leader.”

Wetherbee was a mentor to Bocock and one of the most passionate people he’s ever met. “His passion was inspiring and pushed me to be better than I thought I could be,” Bocock said. “He also had a funny comment about almost everything. It was a true honor to know Alex.”