Biographical Sketch on James E. Prevor

Jim Prevor is widely recognized as a leader in understanding and assessing the state of the perishable food industries. The founder and editor-in-chief of both PRODUCE BUSINESS and DELI BUSINESS magazines, he spearheaded the purchase and repositioning of AMERICAN FOOD AND AG EXPORTER magazine and FOOD DISTRIBUTION MAGAZINE and launched The Retail Institute, The International Prepared Foods Conference and Exposition and was a founding partner in the launch of both the Institute for Produce Entrepreneurs, designed to help family businesses, and Perishable Solutions, a consultancy specializing in bringing strategic thinking to the fast-moving business of perishables.

Mr. Prevor’s writing has been recognized for astute insight into the world of perishable food marketing. He has won over 100 editorial awards and is the recipient of American Business Media’s Jesse H. Neal Award and the American Society of Business Press Editors Azbee Award for excellence in editorial, commentary and opinion journalism. The United Fresh Produce Association, a century-old national trade organization representing the produce trade, named Mr. Prevor its first-ever “Member of the Year”.

Mr. Prevor is a frequent speaker at both corporate and association functions, having presented at meetings ranging from the largest conferences and trade shows, such as the Food Marketing Institute, Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association conventions, to regional groups, such as the New England Fresh Foods Alliance and the New York Apple Association. Mr. Prevor is invited to address groups around the world and has spoken extensively from Australia to Europe appearing before supermarkets, wholesalers and grower groups.

Mr. Prevor’s expertise has also been sought out by educational institutions, and he is a frequent speaker on college campuses. In addition, he has addressed academic groups such as the American Agricultural Economics Association and his writing has appeared in publications worldwide, including on the Op-Ed page of The Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Prevor directs many consumer and trade research projects including a large effort to analyze the dynamics of Wal-Mart’s produce pricing on a market-by-market basis and a cross-cultural analysis of consumer attitudes toward sustainability and corporate responsibility initiatives.

Mr. Prevor directs a custom publishing division that creates cookbooks, POP materials, sponsored publications and has worked as a consultant with many organizations, including trade associations, produce shippers, produce retailers and foodservice operators around the world.

He has traveled the world inspecting growing, wholesaling and retailing operations and has visited virtually every terminal market in the United States and many around the world.

He has done extensive work in contract pricing, co-managed replenishment, collaborative consumer marketing, and supplier development and integration.

Mr. Prevor is the fourth generation of his family to be active in the food business in the United States. Prior to launching his own company, he served as a director of his family’s company, which was an importer, exporter and wholesaler of foodstuffs, including produce, deli meats and cheeses, fresh eggs and frozen eviscerated poultry. At various times, the business also included supermarkets and convenience stores, a restaurant chain and various farming operations.

Most recently, Mr. Prevor has led an effort to utilize the Internet and modern information technologies to advance the interests of the fresh foods industry. As part of this initiative, he launched Jim Prevor’s Perishable Pundit, which quickly became the industry’s most important forum for the discussion and analysis of issues relevant to the trade.

Mr. Prevor combines the real world experience of one who has worked in the trade with the analytical perspective of an editor and analyst.