Center for Produce Safety elects new chairman

The Center for Produce Safety BB #:339618 is pleased to announce that Carter McEntire, Vice President of Foodservice Sales, Fresh Express BB #:115030, has been elected Chair of the CPS Board of Directors.

“As the incoming Chair, my vision is to build on CPS’s strong foundation, driving progress in produce food safety and advancing our mission to fund science, find solutions, and fuel change. I am grateful to Past Chair Joe Pezzini for his exemplary leadership and dedicated service, which have strengthened the Center for Produce Safety and set the stage for the important work ahead,” said Carter McEntire, Chair.

Former President & CEO of McEntire Produce, Inc., the largest family-owned fresh produce processor in the Southeast, Carter brings 25+ years of experience in sales, operations, and management.

He began his career in 1993, helping his father automate processing lines and expand foodservice sales. After a brief stint in financial advising, he returned in 2002 to lead the company’s move to a new 165,000 sq. ft. facility in Columbia, SC. Over the next two decades, he built a strong team and grew McEntire Produce into a leading Southeast provider of fresh-cut, repacked, and wholesale produce.

In December 2024, Fresh Express Inc. acquired McEntire Produce, unlocking new growth opportunities in the foodservice sector.

Center for Produce Safety Board of Directors

Officers
• Chair – Carter McEntire, Fresh Express
• Vice Chair – Charles Leftwich, Sysco Corporation
• Secretary – Bret Erickson, Little Bear Produce
• Treasurer – Mark Powers, Northwest Horticultural Council
• Past Chair – Joe Pezzini, Taylor Farms

Directors
• Scott Angle, University of Florida
• Samir Assar, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Jim Brennan, SmartWash Solutions
• Suresh DeCosta, Technical Committee Chair, Lipman Family Farms
• Martin Duplessis, Health Canada
• Natalie Dyenson, Boar’s Head
• Thomas Green, IPM Institute
• Craig Headberg, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
• Jorge Hernandez, The Wendy’s Company
• Michael Joyner, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association
• Larry Kohl, Ahold Delhaize USA
• Jim Lugg, Consultant
• Dave Murray, Good Farms
• Stephen Patricio, Westside Produce
• Dave Puglia, Western Growers
• Timothy Riley, The Giumarra Companies
• Michael Spinazzola, Diversified Restaurant Systems, Inc.
• Michael Taylor, Consultant
• Matthew Wise, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Tim York, California Leafy Green Marketing Agreement

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About CPS
The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) is a 501(c)(3), U.S. tax-exempt, charitable organization focused exclusively on providing the produce industry and government with open access to the actionable information needed to continually enhance the safety of produce.

For more information:
Phone: 530-557-9706
Email: info@centerforproducesafety.org
Website: www.centerforproducesafety.org