Tim O’Connor exchanges potatoes for avocados

Tim O’Connor, President and CEO of the U.S. Potato Board, Denver, CO, has accepted an offer to lead a new marketing agency dedicated to the Mexican avocado industry.

Mexico is the leading source of fresh Avocados in the United States, and with the creation of the "Avocados from Mexico"(AFM) marketing group, the Mexican avocado industry will have its own world-class marketing agency. AFM is being jointly created by the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) and the Mexican Avocado Producers and Packers, APEAM A.C. to combine resources and develop and manage a common brand for the Mexican avocado industry.

O'Connor takes the helm on April 1st.

Adrian Iturbide Mejia, Chairman of MHAIA, said, "We are very excited to bring Tim on board. Tim has extensive experience in the produce industry, and we are confident that as our new CEO, he will be able to build AFM from the ground up and take the lead in developing new strategies for increasing demand and consumption for avocados from Mexico. Creating AFM is one of the most important decisions the Mexican avocado industry has made since we began promoting avocados in the United States in 1997. We conducted a nationwide search for our CEO to ensure we found the most qualified person, and we are very pleased and fortunate to have found Tim."

Ron Campbell, Executive Director of MHAIA, and Head of Government Relations for APEAM in Washington D.C., added, "These are exciting times for the Mexican avocado industry. We have done extensive strategic planning over the past two years with the goal of aligning and consolidating MHAIA and APEAM human and capital resources under one umbrella. We also worked, and will continue to work, very closely with USDA/AMS to set the appropriate guidelines in place for AFM's programs. Bringing Tim on board sets our dreams into action."

"The 14 years I’ve spent as CEO of the U.S. Potato Board has been one of my life’s greatest experiences,"said O’Connor. "So it took a fabulous career opportunity to pull me away. Building AFM from scratch and developing a new marketing strategy and programs for Avocados from Mexico is exactly that incredible opportunity. My interest in and excitement about becoming AFM’s CEO increased at every turn during their recruitment process. They’re ready, and I am too."

Source: United States Potato Board (USPB)

Todd Michael, Ohio grower and Immediate Past Chairman of the USPB will lead the search committee that will seek O'Connor's replacement.

Read more in the Produce News