It was in 1999 that a visionary group of leaders led by Terry Vorhees met in Atlanta to form a produce organization that would serve and promote the produce industry in the southeastern region of the United States.
That organization — the Southeast Produce Council —will proudly celebrate its 20th anniversary the first week in March during its annual Southern Exposure conference and expo, with this year’s theme: “Produce like it’s 1999.”
In addition to the always popular workshops, keynote luncheon and social activities, the council has some new and exciting events planned for Southern Exposure 2019, according to David Sherrod, the council’s president and chief executive officer. The event will take place March 7-9 at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort in Orlando, FL.
Following a board of directors meeting and VIP dinner on Wednesday, March 6, Southern Exposure kicks off the following morning with the Tom Page Golf Classic (which is named for one of the founders of the council) at Disney’s Magnolia & Palm Golf Course, about 10 minutes from the Swan & Dolphin.
“We’re expecting 288 golfers on the two courses,” Sherrod told The Produce News on Jan. 30. “It should be a fun day.” After the competition, an awards luncheon will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The STARS & STEP-UPP Dinner will take place Thursday evening for those involved in two of the councils outstanding programs: the Southeast Top Agricultural Recruits Scholarship program and the Southeast Training Education Program for Upcoming Produce Professionals.
This dinner will utilize both indoor and outdoor spaces at the Swan & Dolphin, which will “cap off the night since we’ll be able to see the fireworks at Disney World,” said Sherrod. “We’re excited about that. It’ll be fun. It’s going to be a good night.”
On Friday morning, March 8, Dan’l Mackey Almy, president and chief executive officer of DMA Solutions, will “speak to the STARS students as they get ready to enter the workforce,” said Sherrod. “She’s passionate. That’s what I love about Dan’l.”
Two educational workshops are scheduled to take place after that.
The first is titled The Healing Benefits of Produce, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Moderator Chip Carter of “Southeast Produce Weekly” will be joined by panelists Dr. James Hebert, professor of epidemiology and director of the Cancer Prevention & Control Program at the University of South Carolina; Lee O’Donnell, corporate manager of prevention and wellness at Orlando Health; Jennifer Patzkowsky, corporate dietitian at Publix Super Markets; and Anne-Marie Roerink, principal at 210 Analytics LLC.
The second workshop is titled The Power of Produce, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Moderators Richard Stein, vice president of fresh foods at Food Marketing Institute, and Anne-Marie Roerink will be joined by panelists Mike Tipton, vice president of produce and floral at Schnuck Markets Inc.; Bill Pollard, director of produce at Dollar General Corp.; and Marty Mika, business development manager for produce at Central Market (a division of H-E-B). Sherrod noted that FMI will debut its signature research, The Power of Produce report, at this workshop.
The Southern Roots luncheon will take place from noon to 2 p.m., where attendees will hear a presentation by Shannon Cassidy, president and founder of bridge between inc. “We’re excited about the program that the Southern Roots committee has put together,” said Sherrod.
Following this are two Continuing Connection sessions. “This is something new that we’re starting as part of our SEPC university,” explained Sherrod. “Basically this is part of our program that we feel are industry hot buttons” in need of discussion. “And basically we’re taking experts from various fields inside our industry and highlighting [those issues].”
The first session, on food safety, will feature panelists Dave Corsi, vice president of produce and floral at Wegmans Food Markets Inc., and Dr. Trevor Suslow, vice president of food safety at Produce Marketing Association, who will “look at the ways the industry can come together” to address food-safety issues that have been in the news, noted Sherrod.
The second session, on marketing, will feature presenters Karen Nardozza, president and chief executive officer of Moxxy Marketing, and Amber Gray, digital marketing manager at Produce for Kids. This session “will examine produce marketing as well as digital marketing and how we can use that to start promoting produce brands and your own brands in an effective way — whether you have a big marketing department or just one person,” noted Sherrod.
Next up is the STARS Cocktails & Careers, where STARS students will have the chance to meet with SEPC members to discuss job opportunities within the produce industry. “Right now we’re looking at about 20 produce companies and retail companies to attend,” said Sherrod. “Basically we’re creating a mini-career fair for our STARS students in our hopes to retain top talent in our industry.”
Two receptions by invitation only are scheduled next. “We’re glad again this year to be able to host the Produce for Kids Reception,” which will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., said Sherrod. “And we’re excited again this year to honor our retail and foodservice attendees this year” at the Retail/Foodservice Reception, which will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., he added.
“This will lead us to our ‘Produce like it’s 1999 gala,” scheduled for 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., he said. “We’ve got a lot in store for that. It will be a flashback to the 1990s. A lot of things we’re going to be doing will be related to the ‘90s to commemorate our founding in 1999.”
On Saturday, March 9, the keynote luncheon will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Dr. Travis Stork, a board-certified emergency medicine physician and co-host of the Emmy award-winning talk show “The Doctors,” will deliver the keynote speech.
“We’re excited about the fact that he has written several books on diet and a plant-based diet,” said Sherrod. “And also the fact that he attended both Duke and the University of Virginia, which are two great schools in the Southeast.”
Steve Pinkston, chairman of the SEPC board of directors, will present some yearly highlights of the council.
Also during the keynote luncheon, the council will present the 2019 Terry Vorhees Lifetime Achievement Award to Gordon M. Hochberg, vice president and editor emeritus of The Produce News.
At the conclusion of the keynote luncheon, SEPC officers and other dignitaries will gather on stage to cut a special cake commemorating the council’s 20th anniversary. This cake-cutting ceremony will also serve as the official opening of the trade show, in place of the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The trade show, which begins at 12:30 p.m., also has some new features. The show itself, which incorporates a “community-centric idea,” said Sherrod, “is basically what makes up the produce community.” It’s going to be called Southern Exposure USA.
In the Pacific Hall “will be farmers, and the décor will be farmland,” he said. “That’s where the produce story begins; that’s where our industry begins.”
He continued, “As you go through to the next hall, you’ve got the connector, which is our education center — the SEPC university. So all the new items that companies want to show — all that is going to be in that middle part. We don’t want people to miss that. Those are very important new and upcoming items that companies want to showcase.”
Also, there are “new innovation stations, which are the one-person booths that we brought in this year just to make sure that we’re getting the newest technologies and the newest products out there,” he said.
That connector leads into the Atlantic Hall. “That’s going to be our cityscape, more or less the park area,” he noted. “That’s where the product gets sold — in the retail stores.”
In addition, “We’re going to have a church, which is going to house all of our community involvement with any of our charities,” he said. “There are going to be representatives from all of the charities in this area.”
The council itself will have its own booth this year, the SEPC City Hall. Informational materials on the council will be offered here. Coffee will be available here, too, as well as plenty of samples of the ceremonial cake that was unveiled at the keynote luncheon.
“What we’re all about is family and community,” stated Sherrod. “We’re trying to bring that to light and highlight all aspects of what it takes to bring produce from seed to table. So we’re trying to bring that concept to the expo. It’s something we can really build on.”
The event will conclude with the Gator-oke Closing Reception, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. “We’re going to have a bit of fun at the closing reception,” he said, noting that a disc jockey will play music in the beach area of the Swan & Dolphin.
Sherrod noted that the attire for Southern Exposure is what might be called business casual or Florida casual. “If you want to come to the reception at night and it’s a little bit warm, I don’t mind people wearing shorts if that’s what they feel like doing,” he said. “I want them to be comfortable. If you’re more comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt, that’s fine. Nothing we have planned requires a coat and tie.”
He concluded, “I think it’s going to be a good conference. We have a lot of highly qualified experts in the fields we’re covering this year. One of the underlying messages of our conference this year is the healthy benefits of eating a produce-rich diet. That idea is represented in the background of all the people we are bringing in.”
SEPC board Chairman Pinkston, who is director of business development at Sunny Valley International, is also expecting an outstanding and valuable event.
“I’m looking forward to seeing my friends and fellow industry professionals the most, and being able to come together as an industry with one common purpose: to increase the consumption of produce, which has many health benefits,” he told The Produce News. “My favorite part of Southern Exposure is the personal interaction with the attendees, meeting with friends and making the new acquaintances that become friends and business partners.”
Asked about the benefits to both exhibitors and attendees, Pinkston said, “Our exhibitors will have great opportunities to visit with most of the leading retail and foodservice companies in our industry in an environment that is more casual that lends itself to building the relationships necessary for long-term business. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with some of the industry’s leading, innovative and progressive grower-shippers, which together will help them accomplish their company goals and push our industry forward.”
He concluded, “Southern Exposure in my opinion is one of the best industry conferences you could attend. Always in a great location, packed with excellent educational sessions, and it’s size make it very personal and productive.”
