January 1, 2006, Spring House, PA -- He has broad experience
running top tier businesses in diverse regions of the world, has been
a global company leader responsible for sales, marketing, and technical
service, is fluent in three languages and is an altruist with a passion
for helping others. Who better to take the helm of AgroFresh, a young
and vibrant business that is positioned to have an enormous impact on
the world-at-large by increasing the availability of fresh fruits and
vegetables and enhancing agricultural productivity to feed a growing
world.
As president of AgroFresh, Buckley will continue the rapid
expansion of a company that has become a presence in more than 23 countries
and is backed by a global team of over 70 professionals who share the
vision of increasing the worldwide consumption of fruits and vegetables
through the benefits of the firm's flagship offering, the SmartFreshSM
Quality System. SmartFresh is a breakthrough technology that helps safely
maintain the “fresh-picked quality” of fruits and vegetables
from harvest time to checkout line. Buckley will have additional responsibility
for making steady and technologically advanced strides for AgroFresh
on the global stage as well as exploring other acquisitions and alliances
to help achieve its vision.
The SmartFresh Quality System is used during the storage
and transport of ethylene sensitive fruits or vegetables and give packers
and shippers the flexibility to ship, market and sell consistently high
quality produce including apples, bananas, melons, tomatoes and avocados.
Meanwhile, positive research and development as well as consumer testing
are rapidly progressing on a myriad of additional crops.
Because SmartFresh works similarly to naturally occurring
ethylene, the technology promises to create a global scenario in which
harvest-ripe and healthy produce is readily available to worldwide populations
throughout every season of the year, bringing with it the considerable
health benefits of an increased number of daily servings of fruits and
vegetables.
Buckley began his career as a process engineer for the
respected manufactured materials company Rohm and Haas in 1983. He was
subsequently promoted to operations and commercial roles in other divisions,
including managing operations in Latin America and leading sales and
marketing positions in both Brazil and at company headquarters in Philadelphia
PA. After a stint as global business manager for Graver Technologies,
an international business based in Newark, Delaware, Buckley rejoined
Rohm and Haas in 1998 to take positions in business management and global
marketing. Most recently, he served as general manager and leader of
a $325 MM division of the company before joining AgroFresh.
A graduate of Villanova University with honors in 1983,
Mr. Buckley has also completed Master of Business Administration coursework
at Drexel University. Mr. Buckley was recently elected to the Board
of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, joining other
preeminent business leaders in helping guide the 100+ year organization
in its mission to inspire and empower young people. Mr. Buckley, his
wife Tracey, and their two boys aged 16 and 13 reside in Moorestown,
New Jersey.
