Fresh Summit 2018

Richard Owen
Vice President, Global Membership & Engagement
Produce Marketing Association


Richard Owen is vice president of global membership & engagement for the Produce Marketing Association (PMA).  Assuming this role in January 2018, Owen is responsible for leading the membership team in grow PMA’s brand, revenue and membership in the U.S. and globally. In addition, he oversees a volunteer leader team that manages over 500 industry leaders in 20+ groups. PMA has 2,900 member companies in 40 countries. Richard joined PMA in 2009, serving in the previous roles of director, senior director and vice president of global business development. Prior to joining PMA, Richard served as executive director of the DC-based World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA), the primary trade association representing the global inflight entertainment and communications (IFEC) industry. Richard also served as Director of Agricultural Affairs for the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Executive Office of the President (EOP). At USTR Richard managed a portfolio that included Russia and Eastern Europe, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Israel. He led US negotiations on agricultural market access and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues with over ten countries acceding to the World Trade Organization (WTO). He also served as the USTR delegate to two significant international trade agencies:  the WTO Committee on Agriculture and Codex Alimentarius, the international food safety organization. Richard holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Virginia Tech and has maintained the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives since 2000.

Sessions :