When Raina Nelson received the Frieda Rapoport Caplan Women’s Catalyst Award I couldn’t wait to reach out and congratulate her on an amazing accomplishment! Our friendship through the years has grown and I am so proud to call her my friend. It’s always great to have a fellow female in this business that you can confide in and reach out to for a “pat on the back” or a “how do I get out of this mess?”. She has always been quick to respond to either with a kind word of advice, a bible verse or both – she always seems to know exactly what I need!

What Raina represents to young people, especially females in the produce world, is outstanding to say the least. Raina is a dynamic mentor to so many and will definitely help mold the “Next Generation!”

Watching her come up through the ranks has always put a smile on my face. Of course we share our love of the University of Florida Gators – win or lose we are diehard dedicated fans!

I caught up with this busy lady and asked for an interview. I promised to keep it short because she is always on the go! I don’t know if she was just being gracious or she knows me well enough to know I would hound her until she granted the interview. So, I made it short!

Thanks my dear friend! Keep doing what you’re doing. 

Your comments as you reflect on receiving the honor of the Frieda Rapoport Caplan Women’s Catalyst Award

There has been a lot of reflection since receiving the Frieda Rapoport Caplan Women’s Catalyst Award, and it revolves a lot around gratitude. A quote resonates, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Frieda Rapoport Caplan is one of those giants, and her legacy is a vibrant light that still radiates throughout our industry. I am humbled to have received the honor and, more so, to be surrounded by marvelous women who continue to shape our industry and our world today.

In your role as President and Chief Executive Officer at Westfalia Fruit USA, tell us about the road you’ve traveled to get to this point as a woman in produce and the hurdles you overcame.

Agriculture has always been an integral part of my life. I was born into a farming family as the daughter of a 2nd generation central Florida citrus grower. Growing up in ag, I quickly realized the dedication required to cultivate a crop. This part of my youth instilled a strong work ethic that taught perseverance and determination, sometimes, in harmony with Mother Nature, and sometimes not, so you learn to adapt and overcome.

While considering career paths, I didn’t necessarily want to be a farmer in the traditional sense. I found Food Science and Postharvest Physiology at the University of Florida and it was a perfect fit. I got a MS degree and decided to enter the agriculture industry in the capacity of food safety and quality systems. My early years on the farm helped shape my career path in helping me communicate to growers and producers that food safety and quality builds a sustainable and equitable business. That was almost 20 years ago, and since then, my career journey has led me down a fantastically diverse path of opportunities that included product development, sourcing & supply chain management, sales and business development.  

What advice would you give young women new to the produce world?

Believe in yourself, work hard and never give up. I am thankful to all the supporters and believers throughout my career, and it has inspired me to give back and pay it forward with our next generation of leaders. Allyson Felix said it best in her keynote at the Women’s Fresh Perspectives breakfast when she said, “Use your voice even if it shakes.” A woman of integrity is a woman of her word and my advice is to go forth and make strong commitments with unwavering conviction and use your voice!  

What trends to you see diminishing/evolving in the produce industry?

I believe our industry will continue evolving how we sustainably & purposefully farm fresh fruits and vegetables to feed the world. Purpose-driven work through actionable sustainability is something that drives us at Westfalia Fruit. Our purpose is ‘to do good’ and we strive to be innovative changemakers — driving change that does good for our people, our customers, our consumers and our planet.

I also believe that diversity drives innovation. As an industry, we’re better than ever at diversity and inclusion. It’s on us as leaders to set an example of how innovation is rooted in diversity and how diversity creates equity. I genuinely believe that together, we rise higher. May we all be catalysts for purposeful change that continues to evolve our industry for the good.

One of your many passions is the Southeast Produce Council – you’ve held every office and are a past Chairman of the Board. But, I think your involvement with the Next Generation Leadership Academy may be at the top of your list. I can relate to that with my involvement with the STEP-UPP program. Share your thoughts and future plans of the leadership program.

Personally, I love mentoring and giving back to future leaders and fresh produce professionals. I had many people invest in me throughout my career and I have always been passionate about investing in others. Two years ago, we at SEPC realized we had the opportunity to design a leadership program around conscious leadership and help shape the future of the industry. We wanted to create a prestigious program focused on connecting and developing leaders by: Identifying, Connecting, Creating Value, Infusing strong leadership characteristics in the next generation leaders.

The sky’s the limit when you have development opportunities like the Next Generation Leadership Academy. Our inaugural class members are scheduled to graduate at Southern Exposure 2024 in Tampa.

You are one busy lady with everything you have going on in the produce industry but, I know that Faith, Family and Friends are very important to you. How do you juggle all of this and keep all the balls up in the air?

When you are passionate about your work, it doesn’t seem like work and I have been fortunate to work at some wonderful companies with amazing colleagues. However, it did not come without challenges, detours and road blocks. I try to stay grounded as doors opened and closed, and I had to navigate some really bumpy paths. That’s when you dig deep and for me Proverbs 3:5-6 always centers me and guides down the right path. It has taken me a long time to learn that I need to fill my own cup to have something to pour into others, and family and friends fill my cup and this combination of faith, friends and family is my strength.

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”