Driscoll’s board of directors has elected Soren Bjorn, currently president of Driscoll’s of the Americas, as the company’s new CEO.
Miles Reiter, the current chairman and CEO, has announced his plan to retire at the end of the year and become executive chairman of the family-owned company.
Reiter has been involved in the berry business in some capacity for much of the past 70 years. After college, he became a berry grower in California’s Pajaro Valley in the 1970s and was elected chairman of Dricoll’s board of directors in 1988.
Reiter has twice served as the company’s CEO, once from 2000-15 and again from 2018-present.
“Generations of my family before me and, I suspect, generations after, have been or will be, deeply involved in this always fascinating business,” Reiter said.
“It’s now time for me to step aside as CEO. Along with our board of directors, I have sought a new leader who is deeply committed to our values, our mission and a future in which Driscoll’s becomes the world’s berry company, enriching the lives of everyone we touch.
“It is with great enthusiasm and confidence that we appoint Soren as the new CEO. His deep global knowledge of the berry business, powerful intellect, sound judgment and contagious sense of humor make him uniquely qualified for this role.”
Bjorn will assume the CEO role in January and oversee the Watsonville, California-based company’s global day-to-day operations. He joined Driscoll’s in 2006 and has been involved in most aspects of the business over the past 17 years.
As the former SVP of international business and global technologies, Bjorn led business development in Europe, South America and Australia, as well as global research and development and breeding.
He became the leader of Driscoll’s business unit in North America in 2013 and was elevated to his current position as president of Driscoll’s of the Americas in 2017.
As the incoming CEO, Bjorn’s priorities are to maintain the company’s thriving culture and continue accelerating its global growth.
Drawing from his experiences leading research, development and innovation, he also will guide the company’s efforts to implement new technologies that improve operational efficiencies and ensure the business remains resilient against industry-wide challenges such as climate change.
“I’m humbled that Miles, the board and the thousands of Driscoll’s team members around the world have entrusted me to guide the company into its future,” Bjorn said.
“Miles’ legacy is the power and clarity of Driscoll’s mission, vision and values. He has used them to guide every decision and action for the company. As the new steward of Driscoll’s, I fully commit to all our employees, partners and customers that I will build upon his legacy and honor these same principles.”
About Driscoll’s
Driscoll’s is a global producer of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. With more than 900 independent growers around the world, Driscoll’s develops patented berry varieties using traditional breeding methods.
Driscoll’s berries are grown in more than 20 countries and are available for consumers in more than 40 countries across North America, Australia, Europe and China.
Read more produce news from The Shelby Report.
