<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;line-height:130%"> San Francisco, CA</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By Jordan Okumura<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">03.14.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/pbh_conference_2013_BODY.jpg" alt="PBH Conference" />The Produce for Better Health Foundation's 2013 Annual Conference: The Consumer Connection, is helping to set the bar for new and innovative thinking, marketing and understanding the needs of the consumer.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Retailers, supermarket dietitians, suppliers, growers, processors and industry peers have come together for the three day conference with the common goal of improving America's health through increased consumption of fruit and vegetables. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/Body_Christou00.jpg" alt="PBH Conference 2" />Held in San Francisco, California, the event hosted a Role Model and Champion Awards Luncheon and presented a host of industry companies with awards for promoting and supporting the PBH mission and philosophies. Numerous honors were bestowed to attendees that included Retail Role Models Schnucks and Meijer and Retail Champions that included Ahold USA, Hy-Vee and AWG.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/Body_Pepperl00.jpg" alt="PBH Conference 2" />Industry Role Models recognized at the luncheon included Taylor Farms whose award was accepted by Mark Campion, Stemilt whose award was accepted by Roger Pepperl, Duda Farm Fresh Foods whose award was accepted by Melissa McDill, Rainier whose award was accepted by Suzanne Wolter, California Avocado Commission whose award was accepted by Angela Fraser and Del Monte Fresh Produce whose award was accepted by Dennis Christou. Other award winners included Sunkist Growers and Sun-Maid Growers with many more also honored.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/Body_McNeece00.jpg" alt="PBH Conference 2" />Grimmway's Lisa McNeece accepted an Industry Champion award on behalf of the company. Many more Industry Champions awards were presented and included Lipman and the Vidalia Onion Committee. Awards were also presented for Public Health Role Models and Public Health Champions.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><br/><br/><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/Body_Wolter00.jpg" alt="PBH Conference" />The event successfully addressed new research on evolving food culture, demands and consumer trends as well as the ever shifting paradigm of what "wellness" means to the population.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">As he spoke to conference attendees early Thursday, Dennis Christou, Vice President Marketing N.A., Del Monte Fresh Produce, noted that this was a great event that brought together industry peers in a non-competitive environment to promote a great cause.</br/></br/></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/Body_Fraser00.jpg" alt="PBH Conference" />Highlights of the conference include an all forms retail panel that welcomed speakers ranging from Shirley Axe, Health and Wellness Manager, Ahold USA to Julie Green, Manager of Healthy Living, Hannaford Supermarkets. The panel addressed the promotion and success of shelf labeling programs to encourage healthy and informed eating as well as research that shows that fresh produce consumption is up with fruit leading the way. Other features of the conference offered marketing and research presentations that addressed issues from Reimagining Health and Wellness and the Role of Fruits and Vegetables with Laurie Demeritt, President and CEO, The Hartman Group to Marketing to Target Audiences with Kari Bretchger, President and CEO, Integrated Marketing Works. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Elizabeth Pivonka, President and CEO, Produce for Better Health Foundation, addressed attendees throughout the event and promoted the notion that all forms of produce matter, from fresh to frozen as well as canned. The foundation has a bright future ahead, with new enhancements to the website MoreMatters.org, a record year of social media impressions, and a host of research that reveals the dynamics of the fruit and vegetable industry.<img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/Body_crowd.jpg" alt="PBH Conference 2" /></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Today will wrap up with Business Exchange Roundtables, Educational Sessions addressing consumer research and interactive blogging as well as a Gala for Good Health.<img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/Body_retail_panel.jpg" alt="PBH Conference 2" /></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Congratulations PBH, on your amazing efforts in bringing the industry together to improve health through increased fruit and vegetable consumption.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.Website-Link-Here.com" target="_new"> Produce for Better Health Foundation </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
