Sunkist Growers and Fruit Growers Supply Co. will consolidate their management structure under Russ Hanlin as president and CEO, though the two cooperatives will remain separate legal entities.
The companies’ boards of directors announced the changes August 18.
“Sunkist Growers and Fruit Growers Supply are sister cooperatives that service the same constituencies,” Chairman of the Sunkist board of directors Gerald Denni said in a statement. “A shared management structure will increase efficiencies in both organizations and drive a culture that best serves our membership.”
Sunkist Growers is a citrus marketing cooperative, founded in 1893, which is owned by and operated for thousands of family farmers growing citrus in California and Arizona. Fruit Growers Supply was established in 1907 by the same growers who formed the Sunkist marketing cooperative to supply wood for their crates. Today, FGC supplies Sunkist’s needs and provides services to all owners.
John Striff will serve as chief operating officer of Sunkist and Ted Pajak will hold the same position at FGS. The two organizations will share legal, finance, information technology, human resources and government affairs services.
“These organizational changes at Sunkist Growers and Fruit Growers Supply will streamline operations of both companies,” Hanlin said in the press release. “This structure will allow us to fully utilize talent and resources across both organizations to optimize service and value to our constituents.”
