Leading international citrus supplier Sunkist Growers has named Kevin Fiori of Dole Food to lead the citrus marketingcooperative’s domestic and international fresh fruit sales andmarketing division. As vice-president of sales and marketing, Mr Fiori willsucceed Russell Hanlin, who is due to assume the presidency of Sunkist on1 November 2008.

Mr Fiori, highly regarded in both the agriculturalindustry and the produce trade, is leaving his position as as senior vice-president of agriculture operations for Dole Fresh Vegetables after 29 years with Dole Food Company.

“Kevin hasextensive sales experience with branded commodity products,” said MrHanlin, currently Sunkist’s executive vice-president. “Wecould not have found anyone who fit more perfectly into our operations.Kevin has great leadership skills and is a proven team builder. Hiscareer includes sales and marketing responsibility for vegetables,fruits and flowers in both the domestic and international markets andhe also has valuable expertise in global operations.”

Mr Fioribegan his career at Dole as a sales representative in 1979, moving upquickly in Dole Fresh Fruit selling grapes, pineapples, bananas andmushrooms. He left Dole briefly to become sales manager at OceanGarden, a company owned by the Mexican government, but was quicklyrecruited back by Sun County Produce, a Dole subsidiary.

He thenmoved to Dole Citrus in 1985, his steady upward progression culminatingin a six-year term as vice-president of sales and marketing for NorthAmerica. Following the December 1998 freeze, Dole sold its citrusbusiness and in 1999 Mr Fiori was named vice-president of sales and marketing forDole North American Fruit, helping to open Dole’s SouthAfrican grape and citrus division.

In this position Mr Fiori also managed theNorth America sales divisions for the Chilean and California grape andnorth-west apple operations. Two years later, he transferred to DoleFresh Flowers to help turn that business around. During his tenure,Dole Flowers became the number one vendor with their major customers.

Mr Fiori subsequentlyreturned to Dole Fresh Vegetables as vice-president of commodity andfoodservice sales, growing both the retail and foodservicecustomer base, and increasing the foodservice business by 50 per cent. In 2006, hewas named senior vice-president of agriculture operations, responsiblefor the growing, sourcing and harvesting operations in the US, Peruand Mexico.

“I have great admiration for the strength of theSunkist brand and the capabilities of the team,” said Mr Fiori. “I alsofeel fortunate to have developed relationships with many withinSunkist’s sales and packinghouse operations and have the greatestdegree of respect for their capabilities and character. My wife and Iare excited about becoming a part of the Sunkist family.”