The Southeast Produce Council will honor Terry Vorhees at the end of February with its highest honor, its Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will be presented posthumously at Southern Exposure, the council's conference and trade show, scheduled for Feb. 26-28, 2015, at the Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel & Convention Center in Orlando, FL

Despite domestic shortages from the drought conditions in California and Chile, the steady rise in avocado production from Mexico has allowed Henry Avocado to supply its growing customer base in record numbers, according to a company press release.

Based on the projections Phil Henry has received from his certified growers in Michoaçan, imports will increase from the approximately 1.2 billion-pound levels of last year, to 1.4 billion pounds during 2015. As recently as 2007, avocados from Mexico weighed in at 970 million pounds.

Mexico is “really the driving force in the U.S. avocado market these days, representing over two-thirds of the volume sold,” said Giovanni Cavaletto, vice president of operations at Index Fresh in Bloomington, CA, Oct. 9.

Index Fresh, which marked its 100th anniversary this year, sources avocados from Mexico as well as Chile, Peru and California. Index Fresh President and CEO Dana Thomas told The Produce News earlier this year that as demand for avocados in the United States continues to rise, Index continues growing its programs in all countries.

Columbia Marketing International, based in Wenatchee, WA, announced the appointment of Don Patella to its marketing team. Patella, who will telecommute from his home in Arizona, will manage key retail accounts, developing timely promotions and provide tools to assist his customer's in strengthening their produce categories.

With over 20 years of retail experience at Kroger, Patella has expertise in the area of growing profitable produce returns and will help CMI advance customer initiatives.

The Golub Corp., the parent company of the grocery chain Price Chopper, unveiled a new name and banner for its stores on Nov.11.

Now known as "Market 32" to reflect the chain's founding in 1932, the new stores will begin rolling out across the chain's six-state region this spring, promising change for its customers through modernized stores, as well as new services and products.

Church Bros., a fresh produce shipper based in Salinas, CA, announced that Kori Tuggle will join the company as vice president of marketing.

Tuggle was most recently the director of marketing and business development for Ocean Mist Farms, where she managed the marketing program for the trade and consumer markets for 10 years. At Church Bros., Tuggle will report to Chief Executive Officer Steve Church and work closely with the sales and new business development team as well as have responsibilities for marketing and other corporate priorities.