Growing up, I was a frequent visitor to my public library. I grabbed books of various sizes and left with a beach bag brimming with titles I habitually didn’t finish. I practically had the library on speed dial to extend my checkout windows.
This might not come as a surprise, given that my profession is writing now, but this field of choice wasn’t solidified until my freshman year of high school when my English teacher first taught me Latin roots. That’s when my passion was ignited. From then, I decided to pursue English. The rest, unironically, was history.
We may not have taken the same course of study, but I feel a kindred spirit in David Black: We both have a similar journey from adolescence to where we wound up, both took a while to find our career path, and both landed in a field of our choice. One difference? He’s the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Pacific International Marketing.
David Black, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Pacific International Marketing: I actually grew up in California’s Salinas Valley, so I have always been surrounded by ag, whether through community, work, or friends. They created positive experiences and memories, which helped shape my future goals.
Also, I was intrigued by the various aspects of the industry. Thinking back, I felt pulled toward ag while looking into colleges. You can say a little bit of fate was involved.
DB: After completing my undergrad, I came back to Salinas looking for an ag job. Unfortunately, that was during the 1990 recession, and I wasn’t able to break in. I ended up taking a position at Integrated Device Technology, Inc. (IDTI) as a Production Planner and was able to get valuable hands-on experience.
About a year and a half later, in 1992, I found a job listing from California Artichoke and Vegetable Growers Co. (Cal Choke) for a Grower Accountant position. I took a shot and landed it. That was my first paid position in ag. It ended up being a good position to springboard from because it afforded me exposure to the production side of the business. I spent time learning and working with the farming, harvesting, packaging, and cooling segments of the production process.
DB: That’s correct!
I enjoyed the finance side but wanted to learn more and be involved more operationally. Pacific was transitioning from being a brokerage company to a grower-shipper and created a new position for someone to help build and manage both the financial and operational sides of the process—both right up my alley. The company already had a great reputation, and it was an opportunity to get directly involved operationally too, which for me was where all the fun was. I joined in March 1995 as the Operations Manager, and I have worked my way up here since.
DB: At any point of the day, I can be found working with production, sales, commodity managers, administration, and other Pacific departments. I might be in the office, or I’m out checking in with farming, harvesting, or cooling operations, so be sure to leave a note before you drop by!
I am very hands-on throughout a typical day and encourage cooperation among our teams to forecast, strategize, plan, review, problem-solve, or innovate. This keeps our thinking—and efforts—fresh and engaging.
DB: Time management is key; it’s something you can learn from others, but it’s definitely a skill you have to fine-tune on your own.
Another is to think several steps ahead and plan for the unexpected, which is inevitable in our industry. This has also helped me learn to think creatively. Being forward-thinking and open to new ideas helps not only the company grow but you and your team as well.
“I am very hands-on throughout a typical day and encourage cooperation among our teams to forecast, strategize, plan, review, problem-solve, or innovate. This keeps our thinking—and efforts—fresh and engaging.”
- David Black, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Pacific International Marketing
DB: There is a multitude of opportunities in our industry, and I believe there is something for everyone. It can be demanding and requires a strong work ethic, self-motivation, and an open mind, but you ultimately will find it incredibly rewarding.
Our foundations are the essential outlines we build upon to reach our fullest potential. In many fortuitous cases, it aligns with our passions and creates a tighter bond between both us and our goals. For David Black, his foundations led him to be a significant influence in fresh produce, both through Pacific International Marketing and as an inspiration to rise through the ranks of our industry.
And that’s a story we all are eager to continue reading. 
