SALINAS, Ca. (Thursday, October 6^th) – Tanimura & Antle announced today the promotion of two key sales team members.  Anthony Mazzuca has been promoted to Vice President of Sales Strategy and Steve Souza will now serve as Director of Product Management.  Both promotions come as the next step in the Company’s succession planning and as a result of both individuals’ years of service, industry expertise and contributions to the Company.

“I’ve had the fortune of working side by side with numerous employee owners who have greatly influenced my approach to business and decision making.  Even in the most challenging of times, I’ve learned to glean the good. It takes unwavering dedication to the work to navigate and evolve with an industry that is in a constant state of change,” said Mazzuca.  “A strong work ethic coupled with objective thinking are requirements for success.  I’ve found that past performance and results are not always the best indicator of future ones.  Each scenario we face is different and we have to be careful to not allow our own preconceived notions cloud our judgment.  Confirmation bias is a recipe for failure.   I’m proud to be part of the Tanimura & Antle family of dedicated employees, and look forward to what the future will bring.”

Mazzuca is a longtime Tanimura & Antle employee with a 19-year tenure.  He originally started at the Company as a Sales Assistant and worked his way up to Senior Director of Sales Strategy where he lead the product management team in addition to the Company’s transportation and analytics teams in order to streamline efficiencies and solutions.  In his new role, Mazzuca will focus on higher-level initiatives related to pricing strategy, long-term sales goals, and new product development in addition to overseeing a team of directors. 

“I’m excited for our latest promotions here at Tanimura & Antle.  These strategic moves will help to build upon our already solid foundation from which we can grow and capitalize on the many opportunities that are presenting themselves in the changing industry landscape,” said Brian Antle, Executive Vice President of Sales.  “Both Anthony and Steve have extensive industry experience and we’re excited to see what the future holds.”

Souza started with the Company in 2005 as a Celery Product Manager. Over the past 17 years, he has worked with nearly every premium fresh produce item that the Company grows and ships. Prior to working for Tanimura & Antle, Souza started his career in the produce industry in 1992 as a Sales Coordinator for Misionero Vegetables. He then worked for Dole Fresh Vegetables as a National Accounts Manager and a Foodservice Account Manager and lastly at Duda Farm Fresh Foods as a Senior Account Manager and Product Manager.  With his new promotion, Souza will lead the team of product managers within the sales department to work as the liaison between sales and harvest. 

Souza stated, “I am blessed for the opportunities provided to me during my tenure at Tanimura & Antle. This is a testament of the career evolution provided by Tanimura & Antle for its employee owners.  I look forward to growing with the product management team and the Tanimura & Antle family.”