NEWARK, DE - Yesterday we reported on the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Leadership Breakfast’s Keynote Speaker, Queen Latifah. Today the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) announced that PMA Board Member and President and CEO of Naturipe Farms, Dwight Ferguson, will moderate the Fresh Summit Forum for the Future discussion with Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Slated to present Friday, October 18 during the third and final Forum for the Future, the Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE) is also 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 his involvement in EquiTrust Life Insurance Company; ASPiRE, an African American television network; and SodexoMAGIC, a foodservice and facilities management company.

“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,” says Dwight Ferguson. “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.”

Johnson may be best known for his experience on the basketball court, as he is a five time NBA champion, three time NBA Finals and League MVP, and an Olympic gold medalist. According to a press release, he has also been in the Basketball Hall of Fame since 2002 as an individual player and in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team.” He 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.

“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 CEO Cathy Burns. “Whether on the basketball court or throughout his many business ventures, he knows how to build teams and cultures oriented towards 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.”

In 2018, PMA revamped its education lineup to introduce the Forums for the Future, which focus on big voices speaking on major topics facing the industry and the world. In addition to Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Queen Latifah’s sessions, Cathy Burns will deliver her highly anticipated State of the Industry speech, and Shark Tank’s Robert Herjavec will speak before a live pitch session cohosted by SVG Ventures.

As PMA’s Fresh Summit draws nearer, we will continue to fill you in on the event, so keep a tab open for ANUK.

PMA