Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson to speak at Fresh Summit

Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has announced that PMA board member and president and CEO of Naturipe Farms will moderate the Fresh Summit Forum for the Future discussion with Earvin “Magic” Johnson. The event will take place on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, in Anaheim during the third and final Forum for the Future at this year’s Fresh Summit Conference and Expo.  Johnson is the chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE) and a co-owner of several sports franchises including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Sparks and the Los Angeles Football Club. Johnson’s influence extends beyond sports including involvement EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, ASPiRE – an African American television network and SodexoMAGIC, a food service and facilities management company.

Johnson may be best known for his experience on the basketball court. He is a five-time NBA champion, three-time NBA Finals and League MVP (most valuable player) and an Olympic gold medalist. Johnson was also inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 as an individual player and in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team.” Johnson has spent much of his time off the court translating his winning spirit and tenacity into numerous business endeavors and investing in U.S. infrastructure and technology, becoming one of the leading investors in several minority-owned tech companies. 

“Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson has had a tremendous career from the basketball court into the business world and I am thrilled to be asked to moderate a discussion with him at Fresh Summit,” said Dwight Ferguson, president and CEO of Naturipe Farms.  “There’s a lot that we can learn about Johnson’s leadership and successes on the court, but I’m really looking forward to speaking about how he has turned that towards his business ventures. PMA is always challenging the industry to think about “what’s next” and Johnson is a great model for anticipating and investing in a changing world.”

In 2018, PMA revamped its education lineup to introduce the Forums for the Future, focusing on big voices speaking on big topics facing the industry and the world.  In addition to Johnson and Ferguson’s session on Friday, PMA’s CEO Cathy Burns will deliver her highly anticipated State of the Industry and Shark Tank’s Robert Herjavec will speak before a live pitch session co-hosted by SVG Ventures – Thrive. Rounding out the Fresh Summit lineup will be actress, musician, producer, entrepreneur and author Queen Latifah, who will serve as the Center for Growing Talent’s Women’s Fresh Perspectives Leadership Breakfast speaker. Separate registration is required for the CGT event.

“As we continue to provide more opportunities for Fresh Summit attendees to gain insights and ideas they can apply to their businesses, this year we’re fortunate to be joined by NBA Hall-of-Famer and business leader Earvin “Magic” Johnson,” says PMA CEO Cathy Burns. “Whether on the basketball court or throughout his many business ventures, he knows how to build teams and cultures oriented toward success. I look forward to Dwight leading a conversation that gives the industry immediate takeaways for how to ensure our industry remains adaptive, innovative and purpose-driven.”

Produce Marketing Association (PMA) is the leading trade association representing companies from every segment of the global produce and floral supply chain. PMA helps members grow by providing connections that expand business opportunities and increase sales and consumption. For more information, visit www.pma.com.