SALINAS, CA - As trade news writers in the produce industry, we have the unique privilege of seeing first-hand who is making it possible for the market to thrive. I’m talking, of course, about the farmers, and Tanimura & Antle is always working to support these individuals. Furthering that goal, the company has promoted Brett Champlin to Senior Director of Harvest Operations. In his new role, Champlin will oversee the day-to-day harvest operations for all the company’s crops.
“We have an extremely talented team of crop and industry experts in our harvest department and I attribute my knowledge and success to the mentorship they have provided me with since I started at Tanimura & Antle,” said Champlin. “I look forward to continuing to work together to deliver premium fresh produce to our valued customers.”
Champlin started his career at Tanimura & Antle as an intern, a press release stated. He was first challenged with creating a program to collect and track data for plant health, size, and growth. Today, what started as an internship project is known as the company’s Advanced Forecasting Program, and is a prime example of Tanimura and Antle’s commitment to innovation. The Advanced Forecasting Program serves as a vital liaison between harvest, sales, and production to assist with accurately forecasting product yields and anticipates any quality issues early on.
After his internship, Champlin was hired full-time in 2014 as the Advanced Forecasting Manager, where he managed a team of Advanced Forecasters to track crop growth progress and utilize the data to improve future plantings.
“We have an amazing team across the company that continues to impress me on both their abilities and willingness to lead,” said Scott Grabau, President and CEO. “We truly have a world-class operation that starts with our employees. Brett is a great example of why we continue to succeed in a challenging industry.”
In 2015, Champlin was promoted to Lettuce Harvest Manager and then in 2017 as Lettuce Harvest Director, where he was responsible for managing harvest operations for one of the company’s largest programs, iceberg lettuce, which includes 12 harvest crews and 450 employees. Diversifying his responsibilities, Champlin spearheaded the product development of the company’s Artisan Baby Iceberg program in 2018.
“I have worked with Brett for the length of his career at Tanimura & Antle, and we identified him as a key employee in our succession planning early-on. Tanimura & Antle has a long-standing legacy of caring for its people and promoting talent from within, and Brett is a prime example of that culture,” said Nick Sgheiza, Vice President of Harvest. “Brett’s hard work, dedication, and contributions over the past several years are an essential part of our collective success.”
Champlin attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Business, and currently is pursuing a Masters from the Marshal School of Business at the University of Southern California.
Congratulations to Brett Champlin on this well-earned promotion!
