The Kroger Co. has promoted Marlene Stewart to president of the company's Dillons division. She replaces Joe Grieshaber, who was recently named president of Kroger's Columbus division.

Stewart currently serves as vice president of merchandising at QFC, based in Seattle.

With the April 26-28 PMA Foundation Women's Fresh Perspectives Conference at Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego just around the corner, organizers are confident the some 225 participants will benefit from a powerhouse speaker lineup as well as sessions geared toward three career stages and a unique mentoring program that pairs lesser experienced women with industry veterans.

Joe Fierman and fiancée Casey Smith, one minute before he proposed marriage under the Broken Arch at Arches National Park in Moab, UT.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc., headquartered in Oviedo, FL, is reporting that all of the company’s Florida spring crops are on schedule with no notable weather events.

Jason Bedsole, eastern sales manager for Duda, said, “We are shipping celery, organic celery, cello radishes, value-added radishes, Romaine, Romaine hearts, cello lettuce, green leaf, red leaf, endive and escarole. All products are grown, packed and shipping out of the Belle Glade Farm in Florida.”

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will be promoting New Jersey’s agricultural products to one of its very important markets — eastern Canada — at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s 90th annual convention and trade show, scheduled for April 15-17 in Montreal.

“Traditionally, our markets look northward,” Al Murray, New Jersey’s assistant secretary of agriculture, told The Produce News Thursday, March 19.

Bill Pool, Wegmans Food Markets manager of produce safety, has been named the United Fresh Produce Association’s 2015 Technical Award recipient. The award is presented to an individual who has made significant technical contributions to the fresh produce industry.