Produce Marketing Association will cap off this year’s Virtual Town Hall Series with a candid conversation featuring Bruce Taylor of Taylor Farms and John Anderson of The Oppenheimer Group. PMA CEO Cathy Burns will host this fireside chat, providing a forum for all three leaders to share their insights and perspectives on 2020 and how the fresh produce and floral communities can capitalize on new opportunities in 2021.
PMA has been hosting a free, weekly Virtual Town Hall series since March, spurred by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry and consumers. The virtual meetings hosted experts from inside and outside of the industry. The topics varied, focusing on the challenges facing the industry in the moment, and often featured breakouts where attendees could discuss, problem solve and share actionable, tactical resources to survive and thrive. The Virtual Town Hall on Dec. 16, titled “New Year, New Outlook,” will be the 37th town hall of the year; the series will pick up again in 2021 on Jan. 6.
“Without a doubt, 2020 has been a world-changing year, and for the fresh produce and floral communities, the impact of those changes continue to be felt,” Burns said. “During our next Virtual Town Hall, I’ll be joined by Bruce Taylor and John Anderson for a candid conversation about where our industry has been and where it is headed in the next 12 months as we move forward together to create the new extraordinary.”
Taylor is the chairman and CEO of Taylor Fresh Farms, North America’s largest producer of salads and fresh cut vegetables. Its 16 operating companies serve customers in foodservice, retail produce and retail deli segments. Taylor is a past chairman of the PMA Board of Directors.
Anderson joined The Oppenheimer Group in 1975 and now serves as chairman, CEO and managing partner for the organization. He has served on the PMA Board of Directors and as chairman of the board of directors for Center for Growing Talent.
Burns will join the conversation right off the virtual stage, having just spoken at the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. Her session, “Feeding Change: Food is Medicine,” featured Burns alongside fellow panelists including U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME), Roy Steiner of The Rockefeller Foundation and Pam Schwartz of Kaiser Permanente as they discussed how food as medicine could be implemented and scaled, as well as highlighted successful food access programs like Brighter Bites (one of PMA’s strategic partners).
The Virtual Town Hall: New Year, New Outlook, will be hosted at noon on Dec. 16. Registration is open to all but is required to gain access to the broadcast.
