Chat - Julia Stewart

Julia Stewart says she was an econ major in college but her heart was in communications. Now she jokes, "As it has turned out, my wonk econ background has served me well as a communicator -- I can crunch the numbers and then spin them, too."

Julia is the latest feature subject of the Fresh Talk chat series. Find the link here; the Q and A with Julia can be found at the bottom of the page.

Here is a little mid-February coverage from The Packer about Julia:


PR, communications specialist joins PMA
By Angie Hanson, Staff Writer
Julia Stewart recently joined the Produce Marketing Association as public relations director, responsible for overseeing all public relations and crisis communications endeavors.
"It's very difficult to find a public relations, communications strategist," said Lorna Christie, senior vice president of industry products and services for the Newark, Del.-based PMA. "She has a rare set of talents that already are making her valuable to us and the industry. She's a communications strategist that understands the produce industry and is very well connected, and that's a very unique set of attributes."
Stewart, who succeeds Debra Mitchell, brings more than 15 years of industry experience to the role, most recently as a communications consultant for the company she founded -- Ashburn, Va.-based Clarity Communications LLC -- in 2004 and previously as vice president of public relations for the U.S. Apple Association, McLean, Va., where she served for 11 years, Stewart said.
The PMA position, which she started in January, was luring for Stewart because it provides an opportunity to deal with a variety of matters that are vital to the industry, she said.
"My consulting experience over the last four years was incredible, so it was really going to take something special to make me change," Stewart said. "For communications professionals in the produce industry, there aren't positions that are much more meaty. I have a chance to work on a broad range of issues that are critical to the industry and with an organization and people that I respect."
PMA public relations coordinator Theresa Zuroick remains on the association's staff.



me: Okay - thanks for taking part in the Fresh Talk chat. My starter question - where did you grow up?

9:29 AM

stewartjuliaa: I spent most of my early years in Charlottesville, Va. -- people often get C'ville confused with Charlotte, N.C., so let's be clear I'm a Virginia girl.

9:30 AM

Went to college there, at UVA, then moved to northern Virginia where I've been ever since.

9:31 AM

me: Never checked out Kansas - too bad...As you attended UVA, did you ever change majors - and what was the eventual degree that you received?

9:34 AM

stewartjuliaa: My degree is in economics, though my heart was always in communications. As it has turned out, my wonk econ background has served me well as a communicator -- I can crunch the numbers and then spin them, too.

9:35 AM

me: Ha..you are right. Don't we all? Tell me about your first job after college and what eventually connected you to the world of fresh produce...

9:37 AM

stewartjuliaa: I was an economic researcher for what used to be the National Forest Products Association, now part of the American Forest & Paper Association. I'd never heard of an association before coming to D.C., it turns out the world is full of them. I tracked and reported on housing starts (a sore subject these days) and stuff like that, and producing an econ newsletter. I quickly figured out I liked communications much more than number crunching. After several years learning PR and crisis management from some of the best in D.C., I hooked a job with what is now U.S. Apple Association, and the rest as they say is history.

9:38 AM

me: That's right - 11 years at U.S. Apple, correct? What did you enjoy about that time and that industry?

9:44 AM

stewartjuliaa: That's right, 11 years -- hard to believe, they flew by. It was wonderful, because of the people and products I got to work for, and the broad range of work we did while I was there -- we literally put apples back on the map as a health food, while fighting fires like food safety and antidumping, and pushing our agenda on Capitol Hill. The professional experience was extraordinary. And the personal experience was too, I had my two children and grew my family while I was there.

9:46 AM

me: After U.S. Apple, you started your own communications/consulting company. Was that intimidating and did you enjoy that challenge?

9:49 AM

stewartjuliaa: It has been both the most terrifying and invigorating thing I've ever done in my life. I'd gotten very comfortable at USApple, and I am not a risk taker by nature. Starting Clarity Communications taught me that taking some risk now and again can be a good and empowering thing. I learned a great deal in a short amount of time, both about being running a business and about myself.

9:52 AM

me: That's really an accomplishment - congrats to you on that. Tell us a little about the scope of your responsiblities for PMA...

9 minutes

10:01 AM

stewartjuliaa: Clarity was going great, but PMA offered another tremendous learning and growing opportunity as their PR director. I'm still getting my head around the full scope of the job somewhat, but in a nutshell I help drive how PMA communicates with its world so that everyone can get the most out of their relationship with PMA, AND help respond to industry crisis situations. That's quite a job description! And I get to work with some of the best brains in the business, including Kathy Means and Bob Whitaker, and PMA's great education team (the folks who come up with the ideas for Fresh Summit and other conferences). I love working with smart people, and PMA is loaded with them.

10:03 AM

me: Yes - you have quite a roster there. I know my time is short, but thanks for making time for this chat - I've got more questions to ask, but that may have to wait for next time. Thanks Julia.

10:04 AM

stewartjuliaa: Enjoyed it, I'm so glad to be working with you and the whole team at The Packer again.