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FoodSource: A single passion; a common vision
The founders of FoodSource came together with a vision and desire to create a unique produce company. FoodSource started as a procurement company that was driven by customer service. The company has flourished and in 2005 we joined forces with C.H. Robinson Worldwide, one of the world's largest third party logistics and produce companies. By coming together both companies have expanded the services they can offer their customers.
Our success has made it possible for us to reinvest our gains in human resources and to broaden our knowledge base. As part of the reinvestment, we’ve identified and recruited industry leaders in several categories, including retail category management, marketing, organic merchandising and programs, international sales, foodservice distributor training, retail warehouse, produce department sales training, and most recently logistics.
Tom Minnich, Vice President, founded FoodSource with Ray Griffin in 1998. Tom began his career in produce over two decades ago and has established a reputation as an organic visionary.
Tom began his produce career as a Quality Control Agent for George DePaoli, Inc. Shortly after, he
founded his first start-up, Data Fresh, the first company to provide a computer subscription service
that delivered quality control reports via dedicated printers in customers’ offices. Tom was also a
member of the start-up team that implemented the growth of Markon.
Before co-founding FoodSource, Tom served as President of Misionero Vegetables, where his forward
thinking changed the standards in the foodservice, retail, and fresh-cut organic industry. He developed
some of the industry’s first year-round-pricing programs for foodservice and retail. He recognized the
need for aggressively priced fresh-cut organic salads, which led to the development of some of the first
private label programs with large distributors such as Sysco and Markon.
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Tom Minnich
Vice President |
Larry Burk, a Manager for FoodSource, began his produce career as a buyer for Sysco. Three years later, Fresh Network recruited Larry to customize foodservice programs that ranged from year-long contract pricing to three month contracts to label programs, depending on the account’s needs. Eleven years after Larry started with Fresh Network, he decided to join FoodSource, where he manages the foodservice and procurement buying groups. |
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Larry Burk
Manager |
Dave Pinizzotto, a Manager at FoodSource, learned the basics of the produce business on the docks of the Los Angeles Terminal Market. There, as a 14-year old, as well as during all of his summers while in high school and college, he loaded trucks for California Produce Distributors and eventually became a buyer. In 1987, he was recruited by Fresh Network in Salinas, where he handled retail, wholesale, and foodservice accounts. He became an expert in buying raw commodities for regional processors and negotiating year-round contract pricing. Today Dave utilizes his extensive produce experience to create successful and unique programs for their customers. |
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Dave Pinizzotto
Manager |
Todd Koons, Creative Director/Head Chef, is a former chef at Berkeley’s Chez Panisse Restaurant. Todd has been working with fresh produce and lettuces for his entire professional life. Todd is considered one of the pioneers responsible for launching the specialty lettuce craze across the United States. He founded TKO Farms and Epic Roots, Inc. Today, Todd utilizes his creativity as a chef and his extensive produce knowledge to offer FoodSource customers unique and creative items and concepts. |
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Todd Koons
Creative Director/
Head Chef |
Amy Stocker, Controller for FoodSource, is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology and a Certified Public Accountant. Amy combines the contract negotiating skills she acquired as an engineering marketing manager with PG&E with the financial skills that led to her recruitment by Big Six accounting firm Deloitte & Touche LLP. After seven years with Deloitte, she formed her own financial consulting firm, where she specialized in working with many of the major grower/shippers in the Salinas Valley. Today, she employs those skills in managing the financial side of FoodSource. |
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Amy Stocker
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Mike, Director of Operations at FoodSource, began his produce career as a buyer at America West Distributors and was rapidly promoted to senior buyer. In this position, he was responsible for procuring all fruits and vegetables for several large retail chains as well as several wholesale cooperatives.
In the FoodSource/America West merger in 2000, Mike moved to FoodSource as a buyer. He was promoted to Chief Information Officer in 2001. As CIO, Mike managed the company's information systems and account programs as well as analyzing operational and cash flow efficiencies. Mike's knowledge of FoodSource's operational capabilities, many of our customers' operational structures, and industry operational standards resulted in his promotion to Director of Operations in 2003.
Today Mike focuses on the development of our foodservice and wholesale accounts and oversees the FoodSource Nogales and Texas operations. His ingenuity and diverse produce back round has allowed FoodSource to create successful procurement solutions.
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Michael Castagnetto
Director of Operations |
Gary, Transportation Manager for FoodSource, started his career in transportation fourteen years ago with C. H. Robinson. His career began at the New York City office, where he started the produce transportation services in 1995. This business was a success under Gary’s leadership, which is why he was selected to be the manager of the New York City Northeast Produce Office. In this position he was responsible for the success of a sales team that focused on produce transportation solutions for large retail and foodservice companies. Gary and his team offered customers solutions that included, supply chain maximization, business analyses and reporting, LTL, and more.
Gary’s vast knowledge of transportation and logistics became an extremely valuable asset to C. H. Robinson. His experiences lead him to be named Transportation Manager of the Northeast Produce Division. When FoodSource decided to extend their services to transportation there was no question that Gary would be an ideal fit. Gary opened the transportation division at FoodSource in the beginning of 2006. His knowledge, experience, and understanding led Gary to be named Transportation General Manager in 2008.
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Gary York
Transportation Manager |
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Tina Myhre
Office Manager |
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Gabriela Taylor-Shaw
Accounting Manager |
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