News
California Grown Loses Top Executive
The Produce News
April 15, 2006
By Brian Gaylord
Scott Horsfall has left his post as chief executive officer of the California Grown promotion campaign and joined the staff of Mering & Associates, a Sacramento-based advertising and communications firm.
Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission, who also serves on the executive committee of the California Grown campaign as well as its board of directors, said that a search is underway for a new president and CEO to replace Mr. Horsfall.
Mr. Horsfall joined Mering & Associates on March 20, where he is working as an account supervisor and leading the agency's new business development team. Mering & Associates is one of California's leading advertising agencies, with offices in both the northern and southern parts of the state. Its current client roster includes the California Division of Tourism, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, California State Fair, Raley's Family of Fine Stores, Pebble Beach Co., Sutter Health and Fiji Visitors Bureau.
Mr. Horsfall cited the agency's strong creative track record as a major factor in his decision to join Mering & Associates. "This move kind of closes a loop for me," Mr. Horsfall said. "It takes me back to my roots in advertising and communications."
Mr. Horsfall had been with the California Grown program from its inception in 2002, first serving as chief operations officer and then serving as chief executive officer since fall 2003. Prior to that, he was president of the California Kiwifruit Commission and vice president of international marketing for the California Table Grape Commission.
At the start of the California Grown program in 2002, it was Mering & Associates that won the contract to do all the advertising for the program, Mr. Horsfall said, and he developed a good relationship with them.
He noted that on a personal level, he felt a desire for a change of careers and that Mering & Associates offered a great opportunity. Part of his role will be developing new business for Mering & Associates, and he anticipates that his background in fresh produce will come into play.
"Part of what I want to do is reach out to the produce industry," Mr. Horsfall said. "A lot of [advertising/public relations] agencies don't understand produce boards."
He said that he expects to pursue business with individual produce companies as well as produce boards, adding that Mering's strength is in strategic planning and identity development as well as "media buying and all standard tasks."
As for California Grown, Mr. Horsfall said that he expects the program will "be around for a long time." He said that he is leaving the campaign "in great shape," and that he's proud of what the campaign has accomplished.
"It's the first time in California that we've done a cooperative, cross-commodity campaign, and it's been very successful," he said.