Come to the edge

As noted here before Tim Vaux and DuPont are parting ways. The man most associated with DuPont’s sponsorship of United’s Produce Industry Leadership Program is leaving DuPont at the end of April because of a company reorganization.
Contacted today in Fresno by The Packer's Don Schrack, Vaux said he hopes to stay in the produce industry.
Tom Stenzel of United told me of the day when Vaux broached the idea of a leadership program that would team United and DuPont.
He recalled that Vaux approached him in 1994 after a United Outlook round table session at the group’s annual convention in February. The round table topic centered on the need to attract and develop young people in the produce industry.
“He came to me and asked me if we would be interested in working together on a leadership program for produce,” Stenzel recalled.
“It’s amazing how the seed of an idea can take root, and he’s been the been the guy pushing it for so, so long,” Stenzel said.
DuPont has confirmed it will sponsor the 2007-08 class as well.
Whatever happens to DuPont's sponsorship in the future, Stenzel said United is committed to the program. He is right when he says, "Tim would want it that way."


In 2000, Vaux was a c0-recipient of Packer Produce Man of the Year:
From The Packer library:

This year the award went to not one, but two people. Robb Bertels, publisher of The Packer Publications, referred to them as "The Patriarch" and "Daddy Warbucks," but the rest of the produce world knows them as Bill Spencer of Spencer Fruit Co., Reedley, Calif., and Tim Vaux of DuPont Agricultural Products.
Perhaps no one was as surprised as Vaux himself.
"I never expected anything like this," he said.
Bertels cited the critical roles each man played in creating the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association's Leadership Program as key reasons for giving them the award. "To say that the Produce Industry Leadership Program has tremendously affected the personal and professional lives of many of its fellows is not an overstatement," Bertels said.
"While the leaders that are developed from the program are the priority of our honorees, today we celebrate the developers, the leader makers."
Vaux modestly downplayed his role in the program, saying that winning awards isn't what the program is all about. "I don't do this to win awards," he said. "I believe in what we're doing."
Spencer seconded that emotion. "I believe in United," he said to the crowd. "It is absolutely essential to my business and most of yours."
Bertels extolled the leadership qualities of the two men, as well as the importance of their ability to teach others those qualities.
Spencer said his role in the leadership program has been especially gratifying.
"It's like most things," he said. "The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. I have been privileged to be a part of this."

From another Packer story from 2000:

Kim Giese, member of the 2000 graduating class, presented program co-founder and The Packer's Produce Man of the Year award co-recipient Tim Vaux of DuPont Agricultural Products with a framed copy of an inspirational poem entitled "Come to the Edge" by 19th century French poet Guillaume Apollinaire. Vaux likes to share the poem with each class as it begins its training.

Here is the poem:

COME TO THE EDGE!

Come to the edge.
We might fall.

Come to the edge.
It's too high!

And they came
and he pushed

and they flew ...

TK: Thanks to Tim with DuPont for helping the industry's young leaders come to the edge and fly.