PMA strengthens senior leadership with new appointments

TTony Parassiohe Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has announced a strengthening of its senior staff leadership. At its annual meeting in Denver Colo., PMA President and CEO Bryan Silbermann told of new responsibilities for Tony Parassio and Margi Prueitt, two current members of the association’s senior management team.

“I’m pleased to share that Tony Parassio has been promoted to chief operating officer,” said Silbermann. “During his time with PMA, he’s demonstrated unparalleled leadership with our staff team and with members worldwide. Tony’s been instrumental in laying our strategic roadmap for creating and delivering value to PMA’s members around the globe, including our floral members. He’s also played a key role in developing and implementing the association’s governance model, engaging more than 400 volunteer leaders from across the fresh produce and floral supply chains. Most recently, he’s played a key role leading discussions for the renewal of the strategic plan for PMA and its Foundation.”

Parassio joined PMA in 2008 as the vice president of business development, and in 2010 was appointed senior vice president of member value. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Bucknell University, in Lewisburg, Pa., and has done graduate studies in marketing and leading organizational change. Prior to joining PMA, he held a variety of commercial leadership roles with global companies, including sales and product management, global business development, and executive-level positions. He currently serves on the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s board of directors.

“Margi PrueittRecognizing the growing importance of the value that the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent brings to our industry in the U.S. and abroad, Margi Prueitt will now also assume the role of PMA senior vice president while keeping her role as executive director of the PMA Foundation,” announced Silbermann. “This change is a clear recognition of the integrated role our Foundation now plays in bringing unique and differentiated value to PMA members. Since she joined us in 2010, Margi has been the catalyst for an ongoing spring-boarding of greater value and strategic vision for the PMA Foundation. She’s been instrumental in leading the execution of some hugely successful programs like the Emerging Leaders Program, Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference, the growing portfolio of Career Pathways Programs and more. Just over the horizon is the latest innovation from the PMA Foundation – the High Performance Management Conference debuting this December.”

Prueitt also has expanded the PMA Foundation’s role with regional groups across the US and Canada, along with other countries, including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Chile, Mexico and more.

Prueitt earned a Bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Kentucky, holds a Master’s degree in community development from the University of Louisville, and participated in the Harvard J.F. Kennedy School of Government’s Executive Leadership Program. Most recently, she served as the executive director of The Committee of 100, an economic development organization in Delaware, and prior to that, a 35-year tenure with the American Red Cross, most notably as the CEO of the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula.

The other members of PMA’s senior leadership team include:

• Bryan Silbermann, president and CEO,
• Dr. Bob Whitaker, chief science and technology officer,
• Duane Eaton, senior vice president of administration, and
• Yvonne Bull, chief financial officer