Since her youth, Amy Gates, 28, has made a habit of quickly climbing through the ranks at the companies for which she works. At 15 years old, Ms. Gates "took photographs for a white-water rafting company." By 17, the company owner, who did not realize her young age, promoted her to office manager. ?They paid me really well, and it was seasonal, which worked out really well because I was in college? at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA, earning her degree in agriculture business with a concentration in marketing. She maintained the job until her junior year, when

Joseph A. Duda, president and CEO of A. Duda & Sons Inc., announced the appointment of Tracy Duda Chapman as corporate vice president of corporate services and general counsel. She will continue to serve as secretary for the corporation. In her new position, Ms. Chapman, who is general counsel for the company, will have additional oversight responsibility for the company?s human resources, communications, governmental affairs and technical services departments. ?Tracy is well deserving of this appointment," said Mr. Duda. "She has earned recognition for her legal capabilities, and she has

OSO Sweet," the winter sweet onion brand from Chile, is making its largest media push in its history. Called the OSO Over America Tour, this major media campaign is designed to cover the United States, said Rodger Helwig, the San Francisco-based marketing communications director for OSO Sweet. Both print and broadcast outlets around the country will be featuring OSO Sweets in articles and segments from January through March. Part of the promotional effort will be appearances on radio and television shows nationally and in more than 40 major media markets, via a satellite media tour and in

Argentine garlic is a strong product in this new year, according to Paul Auerbach of Maurice A. Auerbach Inc. in South Hackensack, NJ. Mr. Auerbach said that Argentine shippers start loading garlic in November and December each year, with the North American marketing season running from January through May. His firm has imported Argentine garlic for about 50 years. ?This season the quality looks good. I was in Chile and Argentina at the beginning of December to see the end of the harvest and the beginning of packing. The quality looks good." Mr. Auerbach, who has visited Argentina eight times

Salinas, CA-based NewStar Fresh Foods has hired Steve Cagel as commodity manager for its celery program. Mr. Cagel will manage the celery program in addition to supporting the company?s expanded value-added product line. Mr. Cagel comes to NewStar with a background in both produce and accounting. Most recently he was a salesman for Steinbeck Country Produce. In prior roles, he inspected produce for Cproduce.com and worked in the finance department for Tanimura & Antle. Mr. Cagel is recently married and lives in Soledad, just south of Salinas. NewStar is a leading shipper of iceless green

Agricultural products giant Monsanto Co. announced Jan. 24 that it will acquire fruit and vegetable seed company Seminis for about $1 billion in cash plus the assumption of $400 million in debt. The move is seen as a way for Monsanto to capitalize on the healthy-eating trend and enhance its portfolio of seed operations. Oxnard, CA-based Seminis supplies more than 3,500 seed varieties to the commercial fruit and vegetable industry in more than 150 countries around the world. The seeds that Seminis develops and produces are designed to reduce the need for agricultural chemicals, increase crop