SACRAMENTO, CA – After 40 years spent in the industry, DiMare Fresh’s Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Janke, who began his career with the company 15 years ago, retired on January 31st of this year.
“Thank you does not express the appreciation I have for the loyalty and dedication that Eric has displayed during his time with DiMare Fresh. His passion for the produce industry will be greatly missed. On behalf of the DiMare family, we wish him all the best as he transitions into retirement,” said CEO and President Paul J. DiMare in a company press release.
Janke’s 40-year-long career began with sweeping floors and bagging groceries at Fleming Foods; from there, he has taken on positions ranging from produce clerk to sales, before landing in procurement and operational positions. The list of companies that Janke’s career surveys include Albertson’s, Sysco, Tom Lange Corporate, Ready Pac Foods, Freshway Foods, Fresh America, and Kraft Foodservice, where he directed the produce division for two years. Further, Janke’s career includes founding Sun Harvest Farms in the late 1970s.
“In the late 70s and early 80s, the Catalani family taught me the intricacies of global produce sourcing and retail merchandising store initiatives, as well as how a terminal market operates. This solidified my foundation in the produce industry and I will forever be thankful,” said Jenke, asked about who positively impacted his career trajectory. “I also owe a great deal of appreciation to Paul DiMare and the DiMare family for making me a better businessman and teaching me to focus on attention to detail. I have learned so many things spending the bulk of my career with the DiMare team, from growing tomatoes to building new service/distribution centers. It truly has been my pleasure.”
Janke’s position at DiMare Fresh has been restructured, and the company has newly promoted a new Vice President of Operations from within, as well as hired a new Vice President of Sales. These new endeavors solidify the company’s goals to further establish its quality product, customer service, innovation, and loyalty.
We wish you every bit of happiness in this new adventure, Eric Janke! And we are looking forward to welcoming the company’s newest executive members to the industry!
