Allen had been serving NYAA as retail promotions director. During that time, he has initiated new marketing approaches for New York’s Apple Country apples, including variety-specific programs such as “Munch A McIntosh” and the “Simply Better Than Delicious” Empire campaign.
“Jim Allen’s leadership in retail promotion and his long-term experience in the apple industry will help New York apple growers as we move into the 21st century,” said James Verbridge, chairman of the NYAA.
Allen’s career spans the last 30 years in a variety of positions including field buying for a major processor, packinghouse quality control and produce sales for Keystone Fruit Marketing in Greencastle, Pa., and Syn Orchard Fruit Company in Burt, N.Y. His sales experience includes both domestic and export fruit marketing.
Allen has been active in industry affairs, including serving on the former International Apple Institute’s U.S. grades and standards committee and as chairman of the NYAA shipper committee. He currently serves on the U.S. Apple Export Council and National Apple Month Committee.
“It’s exciting to be in position where I think I can really direct some of my focuses toward the industry and do some of things to help growers get into a better financial position in the future,” he said.
Allen and NYAA will continue its recent shift of focus toward retailing and marketing. The shift will better enable the association to direct limited resources toward the targeted goal of creating more opportunities for the state’s growers in the marketplace.
Other priorities for Allen are to successfully complete a restructuring of the NYAA staff, continue close involvement with other industry organizations, increase export opportunities for New York apples and continue progress toward forming a shippers’ organization for the Eastern states.
Allen lives in Webster, N.Y., with his wife Ellen and their children Tenley and Marshall.
The NYAA staff restructuring aims to focus more strongly on retail promotion. The new structure eliminates the position of communications director and retail promotion director while creating the new position of communications and marketing manager.
The new position combines communications functions with the retail promotion activities. This manager will work closely with Allen, who will focus more effort on marketing.
Current Communications Director Shelley Page declined to pursue the newly created position because it is not a good match for her professional interests and talents. She departed the organization as of April 14. Her plans are undetermined.
“I will always be the number one fan of New York state’s wonderful apples. I wish the industry well as it faces critical challenges in the next few years. I look forward to new challenges but will always savor the past four years with New York apple growers,” she said.
“Shelley always gave 110% of her gifts and energy to the cause whether dealing with disaster relief, cider issues or taking on major responsibility when the association’s previous president left last year. She has represented this industry well to the public, the government and on national committees with the U.S. Apple Association. We wish her well in her future endeavors,” said Verbridge.
The New York Apple Association is the nonprofit trade association representing the 674 commercial apple growers in New York. It supports profitable growing and marketing of New York apples through increasing demand for apples and apple products, representing the industry at state and federal levels and serving as the primary information source on New York apple-related matters.
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