VALENCIA, CA - Sunkist Growers, the ever-evolving citrus provider, is adding new talent to its pool of team members, recently announcing it’s hiring of Matt Shekoyan to serve as Vice President of Strategy for Sunkist and its sister co-op, Fruit Growers Supply (FGS). A citrus-industry veteran, Shekoyan will work closely with Sunkist and FGS to enrich and bring new life to the companies’ strategic direction.
“I’m thrilled to join the Sunkist/FGS team,” Shekoyan commented. “We have a strong global brand, a talented team, and some of the best assets within the ag space. I’m looking forward to building upon our proud legacy and achieving even greater success for our stakeholders.”
Sunkist is eager to add Shekoyan and his 20 years of diverse leadership experience to the team. Shekoyan spent much of his career with The Wonderful Company, where he served in several operational and executive capacities in the U.S. and abroad, including Chief Financial Officer of Wonderful Citrus.
“We’re excited to welcome Matt to the team,” said Jim Phillips, President and Chief Executive Officer at Sunkist Growers and FGS, in a press release. “This is a new position within our two cooperatives, and it was created to help us deliver on our commitment to our growers, employees, customers, and consumers. I am looking forward to his contributions in keeping Sunkist the citrus leader and industry innovator for many more generations to come.”
Raised in the Central Valley, Shekoyan comes from a family of citrus, grape, and almond growers who have farmed in the region for more than 75 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Stanford University. Shekoyan currently lives in Los Angeles, but in the past he lived predominantly in the San Joaquin Valley, lived and worked several years in Mexico, where he promoted California agricultural exports. He recently spent two years with his family in Valencia, Spain, where he further developed his global perspectives about the agricultural industry.
“Matt has seen the citrus industry grow, evolve, and redefine itself,” Phillips concluded. “He has a deep understanding of this sector of agriculture, and his knowledge paired with his long history and passion for all things citrus is what we call a triple threat.”
Congratulations to Matt on the new role, from all of us at AndNowUKnow.
