PMA Foundation announces 2014 Tip Murphy Scholarship recipients

The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Foundation for Industry Talent has announced the fourth annual Tip Murphy Scholarship for Leadership Excellence recipients for 2014. Steven Bindas of Chiquita Brands and Casey Kio of AMC Direct were selected by the PMA Foundation Tip Murphy Selection Committee. The scholarship is part of the PMA Foundation’s initiative to establish a workforce with the diverse skills necessary to meet the complex demands of business. Created in 2008 to honor the life and career of produce industry veteran Tip Murphy, the annual scholarship grants industry professionals the opportunity to engage in industry-specific professional development through PMA and PMA Foundation programs. Bindas has elected to pursue the PMA Foundation Emerging Leaders Program, designed to offer an intensive knowledge and relationship-building program focusing on equipping tomorrow's leaders with critical management and thinking skills. Partnering with the well-renowned Thunderbird School of Global Management, Bindas will join the rest of the 2015 class, March 8-12 in Glendale, Arizona. “I am honored and humbled to win the 2014 Tip Murphy Scholarship for Leadership Excellence,” says Bindas. “This scholarship gives me the opportunity to participate in the Emerging Leaders Program which is going to be a great tool for me to hone and develop my leadership skills.” He continued, “Working at Chiquita, it doesn’t take long to find someone who knew Tip Murphy. It’s clear he left a lasting impact on everyone he led. That’s my career goal, to leave that same kind of lasting impact on the people that I work with.” Kio has chosen to engage in the PMA Foundation High Performance Management Conference, a program designed for mid-level leaders. She will join a group of peers throughout the supply chain on September 14-17 in Chicago, Illinois. “To be able to represent AMC Direct and our industry through this scholarship opportunity is sincerely humbling,” Kio says. “In a fast paced industry such as produce, I believe it is vital to continue to develop and grow both personally and professionally.” Kio continued, “I am privileged to be able to attend the High Performance Management Conference where the behavior-based simulation platform translates directly into improved company profitability.” The scholarship covers registration fees and associated hotel expenses for any of the PMA Foundation’s leadership development programs, and is funded by supporters of the Tip Murphy Legacy Fund, an endowment established by friends and colleagues of Murphy to honor his life and career. The fund and scholarship program are managed by the PMA Foundation, as part of its mission to attract, develop and retain talent for the global produce and floral industry. For more information about the scholarship or to apply in 2015, visit www.pmafoundation.com.