With the departure of Jim Richter as CEO of Rexburg, Idaho-based Wilcox Fresh, company president Lynn Wilcox is assuming his duties. Derek Peterson becomes the interim vice president of sales and marketing for the potato and onion grower-shipper. Richter will be taking over as CEO of Amerifresh in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Peterson has been with Wilcox Fresh for 10 years, most recently as business development and marketing manager. He joined the company as a salesman and was promoted to category management after three years.
“In the 10 years I’ve worked with Derek, he’s really grown and developed his skill set in terms of sales, customer relations, business development and marketing,” Richter said. “During that tenure he’s received a couple of promotions; it’s a natural next step for Derek to take on that leadership role as a vice president of sales and marketing.”
“This transition won’t disrupt our personnel or chemistry in any way,” Lynn Wilcox said. “Jim has done a great job of teaching some of the younger guys the nuances of how to be successful in the retail and foodservice industry. They’ve been good students and tried hard to learn from him. We’re in a good place.
“[Richter] will be missed,” Wilcox continued. “What he’s done here is much appreciated, and we’ll continue to have a good relationship.”
Source: The Packer