Kellen News
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kristin Kendrick
(202) 591-2438
Two Juice Products Associations Come Together as the Voice of Their Industry
WASHINGTON, DC (December 3, 2003) – Members of the National Juice Products Association and the Processed Apples Institute recently met in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the consolidation of the two associations. The new association, known as the Juice Products Association (JPA), is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Charlie Lucas, board chairman of the new JPA and Vice President of Southern Gardens, orange growers and juice processors, called this consolidation a major step in assuring a great future for the juice products industry. "We have only scratched the surface of the exciting variety of products our industry can offer consumers," he said, "and a strong unified association will assure we create the appropriate framework to develop and deliver these products to the marketplace."
130 member companies of the Juice Products Association include: processors, packers, extractors, brokers and marketers of fruit and vegetable juices, juice beverages and beverage bases and fruit products; suppliers of all varieties of juice and juice beverage containers, closures, labeling supplies, equipment, ingredients and food testing laboratories; and firms engaged in the trading of frozen concentrated orange juice futures and/or options contracts on behalf of processor members of the association.
JPA will serve its members and their consumers in the following areas: providing the most current information available with respect to business practices; technology, trade, legislative, and regulatory proposals and actions affecting the industry’s products; sponsoring research; promoting high standards of product safety and quality, and good manufacturing and inspection practices in the production and distribution of juice products; encouraging uniformity in standards applicable to industry products; and providing an effective voice for its membership in dealing with its many publics, both within the United States and abroad.
JPA will be governed by an Executive Committee and Board of Directors led by Lucas. Other officers include: Ricke Kress of Northland Cranberries, First Vice Chairman; Rick Tomlin of Louis Dreyfus Citrus, Second Vice Chairman; Tom Stokes of Treetop, Secretary; and Jim Boyles of Vita-Pakt Citrus Products, Treasurer.
JPA will be managed by The Kellen Company, an association management company with offices in Washington, DC; New York; and Atlanta. Richard Cristol, Kellen Company Executive Vice President, will serve as the President of JPA. Legal counsel for JPA will be provided by Ansley Watson Jr. and Kristen Gunter, partners in the Florida firm of Macfarlane, Ferguson and McMullen. And, Paul Rosenthal of Collier Shannon and Scott, Washington, DC will serve as JPA’s international trade counsel.