DIRECTOR & SENIOR CONSULTANT
After 46 years of experience working throughout the Americas in all aspects of Agriculture, Jeff concluded that there was a strong need to develop vertically integrated models for “sustainable solutions in tropical climates” for agriculture.
Jeff’s vision for CONMEDEC is driven by his commitment to organic farming techniques that can survive the logistical challenges of today’s farmers while protecting the environmental integrity, biodiversity, and cultures of these regions.
In 1966 Jeff began his career in agriculture with a position at Safeway Food Stores in Dallas, Texas, while attending high school. Two years later he moved over to Alpha Beta Food Stores, also in Dallas. He opened their first three stores. A few years later in 1971 he moved over to the bakery division of Lucky Food Stores.
In 1973, Jeff branched out on his own and founded, developed and operated Village Greenhouse in Chico, California. He continued with the success of Village Geenhouse until 1976, when he founded EE, Inc., doing business as Tropicana West, also out of Chico, and specialized in horticultural products until 1990.
In 1985 Jeff branched out with Tropicana West to produce Asian Pears, Fuji Apples, and Fuyu Persimmons by planting orchards, and becoming an exclusive grower/packer/shipper. Three years later Tropicana West expanded to the east coast of the United States and added general tree fruit and other items to the production. Through brokers, Tropicana West began supplying supermarket chains. Over the next several years, Tropicana West opened field offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Fresno, California.
By 1991, Jeff had incorporated Tropicana West in Chile, to consult national and international fruit companies and their growers as their packer to US Markets, as well as exporting under the Tropicana West label.
Further expansion of Tropicana West came in 1992 with the export of fruit from Costa Rica, then in 1997 with the incorporation of Tropicana West in Sao Paolo, Brazil, for the export of fruit to the United States, and again in 1998 with exports to Taiwan and China. In 2003, Jeff liquidated Tropicana West to pursue other endeavors.
In 2016, Jeff relocated to the Republic of Panama, where he founded and incorporated CONMEDEC, S.A.
Education
- Primary schools worldwide in Japan, Guam, and California, culminating with the prestigious Myan School in Guatemala City. Member of the first graduating class.
- Middle and High School education in California and Texas.
- Pre-Law & Political Science, with a minor in business at California State University at Chico.
- Pear, Apple, & Tree Fruit Production at University of California at Davis
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