1. http://www.theproducenews.com/9-news-
section/story-cat/3383-3184
Recent executive hires settling in at Naturipe
BY BRIAN GAYLORD | DECEMBER 07, 2008
In recent months, Naples, FL-based Naturipe Farms LLC, an international grower-owned
producer and marketer of foods, added four new faces to its team in key positions.
Those hires are Mohinder Sikka, senior director of operations; Michael Bentel, director of
food safety and quality assurance; Richard Burden, director of transportation; and Robin
Doran, director of communications.
Mr. Sikka brings more than 10 years of experience delivering process design and operational
improvements to companies such as General Motors Corp. and The Home Depot Inc. He
joined Naturipe in mid-August and uses the company's Salinas, CA, office as his base of
operations, reporting to Michael McCartney, vice president of operations.
Prior to joining Naturipe, Mr. Sikka served as a consultant to the fresh produce industry,
including a six-month stint in 2006 during which he performed an analysis of Ballantine
Produce Co. Inc.'s use of radio-frequency identification in its supply chain management. Mr.
Sikka also has served as a consultant to C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. and Tanimura &
Antle Inc. on RFID cold-chain solutions and traceability. Over the past three years, he has
delivered global traceability solutions and cold-chain monitoring to the perishable industry
and to biopharmaceuticals.
Mr. Sikka has extensive experience in supply chain management, including having served as
senior product manager at i2 Technologies, a full-service supply chain company that provides
consulting, technology and managed services. While at i2, he worked with General Motors on
sequencing more than 6 million of its vehicles annually at General Motors' 28 North
American plants.
Mr. Sikka manages warehouses and business processes for Naturipe with an eye toward
reducing shrink and aging of product in an effort to "match the fast-moving market with
supply," he said. He will be tasked with optimizing business software provider SAP's
transportation and supply-chain management platforms.
Mr. Bentel joined Naturipe in August as director of food safety and quality assurance. He is
responsible for assuring that the essential elements of the company's products are
monitored, including food quality, food safety, food security, label and packaging design and
standards, palletizing and shipping protocols, and Good Agricultural Practices at the farm
level. Mr. Bentel has 16 years of experience with Walmart, most recently in developing
specifications and quality processes for perishable items. As a regional quality-control
manager over the past three years, he has managed a group of quality- control professionals
in multiple locations throughout the United States.
Mr. Burden joined Naturipe in August as director of transportation. He is responsible for
planning, directing, coordinating and maintaining transportation services on a global scale
for the company. He is also responsible for the supervision of the day-to-day activities of the
transportation personnel throughout the company. Mr. Burden has 25 years of experience in
transportation; he works from Naturipe's office in Salinas and reports to Mr. McCartney.

2. Ms. Doran joined Naturipe in October as director of communications. Her primary function
is to direct and manage strategic planning, development and implementation of all
integrated corporate communications programs. She will develop and implement public and
media relations and advertising programs, manage relationships with all varieties of media,
and help to develop all communications to align with corporate branding and missions.
Ms. Doran has more than 12 years of experience working in the area of marketing and public
relations. Most recently, she worked as a principal at Doran Communications. She has much
experience handling public relations in the wine industry. Ms. Doran works from Naturipe's
office in Salinas and reports to Robert Verloop, vice president of marketing.