Managed large, year-round farm market selling 200+ varieties of homegrown fruit and produce, 20,000 home-baked pies per year; ice cream parlor; garden center featuring our own propagated plants and re-sale of trees and shrubs; gifts, jams, jellies, sauces etc.; 3 greenhouses. Operated Highland Harvest Club CSA. 120+ members and growing in first year. Also ,PYO operation featuring full-season of fruits, vegetable and flowers; Family- friendly rides and activities featuring animals for feeding; hay rides, pony rides, corn maze, bonfires, etc. Responsible for hiring and training staff that reached 25+ employees at peak of season, inventories and ordering homegrown product, outside produce, all retail stock including gifts, decorations, garden supplies, pies and baked goods, ice cream and related supplies, trees, shrubs, bushes, garden accessories, chemicals, soils, etc. Facility maintenance and upkeep including large, 2 story market with walk-in cooler and ice cream parlor, 3 greenhouses, separate customer restrooms, separate hot food trailer and various pyo and storage sheds.

Had responsibility for all aspects of operations: recruiting, hiring and supervising 240 drivers, employee and independents, and staff of thirty including on-call dispatch staff, customer service, trucking and commercial accounts supervisor financial accounts supervisors and fleet and safety administrators.Oversaw provision of 24-hour 7-day delivery service to 300+ customers. Services included small package delivery, CDL truck service, air package service, long-distance LTL truck service, warehousing, logistical back-up and parts delivery to computer field engineers, overnight parts delivery to field technicians and messengers for Riggs, Citibank, Nationsbank, Crestar, and Wachovia banks.Responsible for fleet maintenance and records on 50 vehicles including vans, pick-ups, medium duty trucks; operation and training on Datatrac dispatch system, Powercom alpha paging, Mobil Data Unit communicators, 800 and 900 MHz fm radio channels, three channel Nextel system.

Worked leased farm weekends and harvest season. Resurrected farm from 5-year growth of weeds and suckers to produce profitable enterprise including 50%+ return in final year.

Established and operated fruit production and marketing business. As managing senior partner, had full P&L and bottom-line responsibility. Acquired prime fruit land, cleared and replanted to top of the line varieties in innovative planting system producing cutting-edge efficiencies. Developed innovative low-impact pest control system, using ipm, cultural practices, trapping, scouting and monitoring and site and cultivar selection to minimize chemical use and maximize natural controls. Developed new marketing strategy, retailing local produce on the then infant Farmer's Market circuit in D.C. and suburbs. Recruited and hired labor, maintained company records, maintained buildings and equipment, oversaw management of busy roadside market. Created unique company culture still used today as business is still going strong, supporting five families.

Managed large, (200+ acres) diversified fruit operation including maintenance of houses and outbuildings, farm equipment, trucks, cold storage, packing plant, cider press, and retail farm market. Supervised year-round and seasonal labor, with crew of 45 at harvest. Varieties grown included apples, peaches, plums, wine grapes, pears and quinces. .and 8 apricot trees.