MENIFEE, CALIFORNIA - A breeze of change swept through Fox Packaging as the company recently welcomed new Director of Sales Jen Doxey. With 25 years of experience—10 in fresh and 15 in equipment sales—an alternative perspective, and an apparent love for laughing, I was excited to get to know the newly settled leader and hear more about her vision for the packaging purveyor.
“As I’m sure you know, making a move any time in your career (especially later in your career) comes with a lot of careful consideration. It was important that I align with an organization that shares similar values, has a great brand in the industry, and genuinely cares about their employees. Thankfully, Fox checks all of those boxes, and I am happy to be a part of the team,” Jen shares.
Being a family-owned business is one aspect that drew Jen, along with a great reputation in the industry.
“For the majority of my career, I have been able to manage and build customer relationships across the U.S. and Canada, which is something I plan to bring to Fox as well. I value the partnerships we have with our existing customers and am very excited about the additional opportunities we will uncover going forward,” she assures me.
Jen’s love for fresh produce and those providing it shines through in recollections between trees playing with fallen fruit, having childhood food fights that to some regions might resemble a snowball fight, tying her personal passion inextricably to her profession.
“Try explaining those bruises to your parents...but I digress,” she shares with a smile. “I am thankful for the experiences I have gained from my time in the industry; from sizers, to PLU stickers, to full turn-key weighing, bagging and packaging. I have had the privilege of seeing many sides of a packinghouse and being able to contribute to the automation and responsible packaging of an array of fruits and vegetables. The final stop on my journey at Fox Packaging is one that I am extremely proud of. Fox's reputation in our industry is synonymous with quality, reliability, and honesty.”
Jen’s experience is not the only new step Fox has taken, as she will remain in California—an interesting twist as Fox’s long-standing family business is based in Texas.
“Thank goodness for airplanes and video conferencing!” Jen agrees. “My being based in California is a great opportunity for us, given that many of the biggest producers for several of our core commodities are just a short drive away. While my team is consistently traveling from Texas to California to make sure our customers are receiving the support they need, having a local presence is just icing on the cake.”
It is that very ag-centered culture of California Jen credits her career to, and I have to agree. Living in California, where so many fruits and vegetables are grown, those who find their way to produce realize it just makes sense to.
“I say this all the time: I genuinely love my customers. The produce industry truly has the best people, from the Owner (who you would never know because they are in the field or on the floor of the packing house) and the Machinery Operators to the Purchasing Managers. There are many customers that I truly consider friends, which is what makes me extremely grateful to be in this industry,” Jen reflects, adding that this plus the free fruits and veggies make up her favorite parts of the job.
It is also the point she wants to see kept strong amid changing times.
“It is becoming less and less frequent to hear people talk about how much they love going to work every day, but when you work with your friends, it just makes life more fun. I also love knowing that I play a part in delivering fresh fruits and vegetables to the world, which is pretty awesome,” she concludes. “Besides that, once you're in produce, you can never get out.”
Touché, Jen. Touché!
