G&R Farms, a third generation premier Vidalia Onion grower in southeast Georgia, is happy to announce the promotion of senior team member, Ronald “Kelby” Werner, to sales manager.
As a seasoned professional with 10 years in the onion business, Werner is known for fostering strong relationships with both customers and growers. His fiery passion for the onion industry and his exposure to veteran mentors has allowed him to blossom taking on more executive responsibilities.
“His passion for the onion industry as well as his experience in and knack for relationship building will be integral as we continue to find new ways to partner with retailers outside of our annual programs, “shared Blake Dasher, CEO of G&R Farms. “Kelby’s exposure to both fresh and storage onions will be invaluable as he takes on a more strategic role.”
Werner joined G&R Farms in 2013 where his produce career started inside of an onion packinghouse serving in a janitorial role, but with his aggressive nature to learn, he earned his way to managing packing operations, supply chain operations, and retail customers sales.
He was integral in supervising production facility operations and leading the charge in food safety. After leaving for a few years to assume a new role in the same category, he realized his heart never left Georgia and his G&R team, so he returned to assume the role as the Production Manager.
Over the past year he has served as lead on the production team for all retail packing with responsibilities including staff training, warehouse oversight, and examining fresh product to ensure it is up to company, retailer, and consumer standards.
“I’m grateful I was able to come home to G&R and see that the team is still wholly dedicated to growing with passion and serving with pride,” Werner added. “This new role allows me to share my knowledge with our team while we continue to grow the company. I look forward to continuing to nurture relationships with our growers and our customers.”
Steven Shuman, VP of Sales, has worked closely with Werner over the last several years and knew this transition was inevitable. He stated, “I’m excited to promote Kelby to sales manager and have him serve in this new position for G&R Farms. His personality and vast knowledge on the industry will bring a new set of skills that will strengthen our team, and ultimately help us carry out our mission to lead with honesty and integrity.”
Photo credit: Ronald “Kelby” Werner – LinkedIn
