Mission Produce, Inc. announced the appointment of John Pawlowski to President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective April 1, 2024. Steve Barnard will continue to serve as Mission Produce?s Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. Pawlowski is a highly accomplished executive leader joining Mission with more than 25 years in the global food and foodservice industry, specializing in business development, system optimization and executive team management.

Pawlowski has a proven track record of leading international market growth strategies in large global organizations such as J.M. Smucker, where he progressed over more than 16 years in a variety of leadership positions, culminating with a post as Vice President of International, driving logistical efficiencies, market access and strategic partnerships. Most recently, he served as the President and COO of Lipari Foods, a leading independent distributor, where he was responsible for leading M&A and organic growth, expanding the company?s national distribution and designing operational strategy. Pawlowski leverages his international expertise in process improvement, logistics and organizational design to build results-driven teams that demonstrate growth.

Pawlowski holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Kent State University and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Miami University.