Frankel to UPGA

The Packer's David Mitchell is developing coverage on this breaking story.... From the United Potato Growers of America:

LEE FRANKEL TO LEAD UNITED POTATO GROWERS OF AMERICA

SALT LAKE CITY November 26, 2007—United Potato Growers of America today announced that Lee Frankel will lead the organization as president and chief executive officer of the national federated agricultural cooperative headquartered in Salt Lake City. Frankel will take the helm as of January 2.

Frankel holds a bachelor of arts in economics and a masters of arts in International Trade and Agricultural Policy from Stanford University. He has served the past 11 years as president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, Nogales, Arizona. Frankel worked previously for five years as an international trade analyst with the U.S. International Trade Commission.

“UPGA’s CEO Search Committee has reviewed several candidates over the past several months and has taken great care to select the right individual with proven leadership abilities and a solid track record. Lee will be a great complement to our professional staff at headquarters,” said Albert Wada, UPGA chairman.

About United Potato Growers of America
United Potato Growers of America was formed in March 2005 by growers to balance supply to consumer demand. UPGA’s mission is to reverse years of declining and unprofitable prices for growers, which have caused many growers to go out of business. At this time, UPGA members are in California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Klamath Basin (on the border of California-Oregon), Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. United Potato Growers of Canada was formed last year in conjunction with UPGA.

UPGA was created under the provisions of the Capper-Volstead Act that was enacted in 1922 by Congress to allow growers to work collectively to market their products. UPGA’s vision is to provide a consistent supply of high quality potatoes at a reasonable price for everyone including the consumer. Call UPGA’s national office at (801) 517-9000 or visit www.unitedpotatousa.com to learn more.


TK: One distributor in Nogales said that replacing Frankel will not be easy. With his knowledge of the workings of Washington D.C. and his acquired knowledge of the West Mexico industry, Frankel will be missed. Though the West Mexico deal has had three tough years in a row, the distributor indicated Frankel was well-appreciated for what he brought to the industry.


Here is the Packer 25 feature on Frankel from March 2006.


Lee Frankel, Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
By Bryan Scribner
In mid-September of 2004, a Medfly find in Tijuana threatened 100% inspection of host material coming across the Nogales, Ariz., border.
That could have subjected 300 to 400 loads of tomatoes, and hundreds of loads of other commodities from Mexico, to inspection and fruit cutting every day.
It just wasn't doable with 80 bays and the capacity to unload six trucks at a time at the border.
The biggest obstacle: Getting U.S. and Mexican officials to work together in forming a solution, said Bill Sykes, owner of The Sykes Co., Nogales, and chairman of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas.
Sykes, chairman at the time, said he attributes much of that achievement to Lee Frankel, president of Nogales-based FPAA.
"For a time there, I thought that the border was going to be completely closed," he said. "But Lee did it. He got together with the right people and got them talking. It was a lot of work, but they got it done."
By Nov. 5 of that year, the inspection rate whittled to one in 20 shipments.
One of Frankel's best qualities is his ability to get people talking and to bridge communication gaps, Sykes said. He also has a valuable understanding of government.
In Washington, D.C., and elsewhere, Frankel gets things done right and in a timely manner, said Jerry Wagner, sales manager at Farmer's Best International LLC, Nogales.
When he talks to Frankel, Wagner said, "The first thing I do is I ask him if he's happy because I don't want him to leave."
At the association level, Frankel said his quest is to anticipate problems that pose a future threat to the fresh produce industry in Mexico. He strives to make sure the 120 members of FPAA are prepared to succeed as the business environment evolves.
It's not always glamorous, he said.
"The person that you rescue from being drowned is much more grateful than all the people you've saved by putting a decent, secure fence around the swimming pool so people don't fall in," he said.
A potential slip up could have occurred from the original draft of the Bioterrorism Act of 2002, something Frankel said would have devastated some Mexican growing operations, increased security risks, increased costs and caused significant produce damage.
Frankel was able to work with the U.S., Canadian and Mexican governments, along with associations south of the border, to help form a coalition that would guide the drafting of more workable rules.
But Frankel's work is not just about downgrading a forest fire into a camp fire. He also works to improve the operations and profitability of FPAA members.
In early January 2005, the Nogales Mariposa Port of Entry opened for Sunday crossings.
Although there was extreme opposition from some brokers, for some FPAA members, it was an essential tool to manage inventories and serve top tier retail, Frankel said.
To prevent future mistakes -- and to make sure members don't get caught off guard -- the ultimate goal of one of the FPAA's newest initiatives is to learn from others.
Specifically, the association must share information and resources with importers in Texas and California because at the end of the day, "No matter how much each local region likes to pride itself on service, product availability, different positive steps it's taking … a U.S. consumer, even a U.S. retailer or restaurant chain, they just see Produce from Mexico," he said.
"If there's a problem in one place in Mexico, it's a problem for all of Mexico."
With that consequence in mind, and with the call from his members to form a communication blanket to more closely align the efforts of those at the Mexican ports, Frankel is working to further establish relations with importers in Texas and San Diego.
After all, he said, the market share in Nogales will decline over time, and it makes sense to coordinate with those at other border crossings.
On Jan. 1, a San Diego division of FPAA became operational. While there is no staff or office, Frankel acts as the division's liaison, traveling from Tucson, Ariz., to San Diego to visit with importers, retail chains and wholesalers.
The division seeks to improve public relations, cold chain management, food safety, produce quality, certification requirements and convey production estimates, Frankel said.
In San Diego, the route to partnership formation was made easier through commonality of product and better understanding of importer operations, Frankel said.
Geographical and "cultural" differences limited the formation of a partnership with Texas importers, but Frankel said he hoped a similar division would be formed there in about a year.
"We need to pull together the importers from all across the border and try and take care of the problems more or less all at once," he said.
More to the Story
* Lee Frankel, president of the Nogales, Ariz.-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas.
* Bio: Frankel, 38, received a bachelor's degree in quantitative economics from Stanford University, where he also completed a master's degree program in agricultural economics and international trade.
His first job was with the U.S. International Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. There, he was a fruit and vegetable international trade analyst for about five years.
In 1996, Frankel joined FPAA as managerial officer, a title that changed to president about two months after he started.
Frankel has served on the Produce for Better Health Foundation board, and he has been on government relations and international trade committees for the Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. He also has been a board member of the United Agribusiness League.
* PERSONAL: Frankel enjoys bicycle racing, something he's been doing competitively for about 14 years. He participates in about four to five national or regional events each year.
He and his wife of five years, Lorena, are raising twin 18-year-old girls.