Okanagan Specialty Fruits appoints new sales VP

Okanagan Specialty Fruits (OSF) expands its executive team. Daryl Johnston joins the company as vice-president of sales and business development, and Don Westcott has been promoted to the post of senior vice-president.

“Over the past five years, Don has proven to be a very dedicated and capable member of our executive team. While he will continue to play a central part in leading the company’s operations team, his new position will also see him take a more active role in strategic business matters,” said Neal Carter, president of OSF. “I’d like to congratulate Don on his promotion, which is very well-deserved.”

A Bachelor of Arts graduate from the University of North Carolina, Johnston joins OSF as a proven leader in generating sustainable and profitable growth in the fresh produce, frozen processing, and consumer packaged goods industries. He brings over 32 years of food and beverage experience to the OSF team, including work with Dole Fresh Vegetables, Southern Specialties, and most recently, Titan Farms Sales and Palmetto Processing Solutions.

“OSF is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. Expanding our executive team into more department-focused roles, and ensuring we have strong leadership in place, will play a vital role in our continued success,” explained Carter. “We feel very fortunate to welcome Daryl to the team and are certain his vast experience and network will contribute immensely to increase Arctic apple availability throughout the U.S. and Canada.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining OSF and bringing my skillset to this vertically integrated company,” said Johnston. “Arctic apples are such an amazing product, and their superior freshness and 28-day shelf life offers new opportunities that are waiting to be explored. I’m looking forward to helping lead the company into a market-leading position.”