NOGALES, AZ -- Alicia Bon Martin of Wilson-Batiz LLC was elected chairwoman of the board of directors of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, here, at the organization's annual meeting on Thursday, May 11. Ms. Bon Martin, who has been serving as vice chairwoman of the FPAA board of directors, is the first woman to chair the organization in its 60-year history. She will serve a two-year term. William Sykes of The Sykes Co., also in Nogales, who previously held the office of chairman, is now chairman emeritus, a new position. Chris Ciruli of Ciruli Bros. was named vice chairman. Under

The Hunts Point market beat city hall. On midday May 15 came word that New York State Supreme Court Judge Lucy Billings ruled that last fall, New York City was unfair in putting out a bid for a warehouse property next to the Hunts Point market. Believing this was the case, early this year the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Association Inc. in the Bronx, NY, sued New York City's Economic Development Corp., the New York City Business Integrity Commission and one of the market's major customers, Baldor Specialty Foods Inc., also located in the Bronx. Last fall, Baldor won the bid to

The Florida Citrus Commission in Lakeland, FL, hired Ken Keck on May 17 to serve as executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus. Mr. Keck replaces Dan Gunter, who resigned last month to take an executive position with a private agribusiness company. "The search committee looked at a number of qualified applicants for this position both internal and external," FCC Chairman Andy Taylor said. "Ken Keck rose to the top of the list. In addition to having a broad knowledge of citrus, Ken possesses sharp intelligence and integrity beyond reproach. This is a terrific hire, and I'm positive

Dole Fresh Vegetables is moving its offices from Salinas, CA, to Monterey, CA, beginning this summer. Dole will shift employees from 639 S. Sanborn Road in Salinas to 2959 Monterey-Salinas Highway in Monterey. The move will place about 180 office employees under one roof instead of the current setup at the Dole site in Salinas with multiple buildings. Dole Fresh Vegetables is a division of Dole Food Co. Inc. Red Blossom Farms adds growers Salinas, CA-based Red Blossom Farms has added Lupe Valdez and Ruben Lara of V&L Farms to its roster of Salinas growers. "Lupe and Ruben bring the expertise

After nearly four years as public relations manager for the Pear Bureau Northwest, Laura Wieking announced in mid-May that she is leaving the position, effective June 2. Ms. Wieking joined the bureau as its PR manager in September 2002, and she said that the decision to depart the organization was a difficult one. Her new job, which will be part time, is communications manager with the Credit Union Association of Oregon. She said that logistics factored into the move, and the CUAO offices are a shorter commute from her home and her family. Kevin Moffitt, president and chief executive officer

The Idaho Potato Commission's recent advertising campaign in the consumer, retail and foodservice arenas in both print and television mediums has been awarded four prestigious "Best of NAMA" awards (one national, three regional). The Santa Barbara, CA-based National Agri-Marketing Association's Best of NAMA awards competition recognizes excellence in creative agri-marketing communications and is a hallmark of distinction in the agricultural advertising industry. This year, NAMA received 1,230 entries at the regional level, three of which were submitted by the IPC's California-based advertising