Page 34 - 0619

DYLAN MASSAVE, 33
Vice President Of Merchandising
And Wholesale
Sysco/FreshPoint Atlanta
HQ: Houston
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Hobbies: Discovering new music, trying new restaurants, playing guitar, traveling with wife
Personal/Community: Married
Motto in life: Stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart’s in it, and live the phrase ‘sky’s the limit.’
Work history: Massave grew up in the produce industry
visiting his father’s company (Massave Produce in Pompano Beach, FL) as a kid, but he never planned on making the industry a career. While in college in Orlando, he started an internship at FreshPoint Central Florida and continued working there every summer. He worked in various roles, including customer service, credit reporting, IT and data processing. After graduation, he became the contract pricing coordinator and margin manager. He was awarded Team Leader of the Year in 2009. In 2011, he transferred to Connecticut to become a buyer. Later that year, he accepted a promotion as purchasing and pricing manager at FreshPoint Austin, where the company needed a complete turnaround, as it had been unprofitable for five consecutive years. By 2012, FreshPoint determined a merger was needed for the Austin and San Antonio locations, and Massave became the vice president of purchasing for FreshPoint South Texas. Massave and his executive teammates developed a winning culture, and FreshPoint South Texas became a profitable company within three years. South Texas still continues to hit Sysco growth and profit targets every year. As soon as South Texas hit its annual operating plan, Massave accepted a promotion to work at a company double the size, and he became the vice president of purchasing and wholesale for FreshPoint Atlanta. In the past four years, FreshPoint Atlanta has grown by $30 million in revenue and has moved into a state-of-the-art warehouse.
Q: What do you know now you wish you knew when you first started your career?
I’ve heard ‘this is a relationship business’ all my life, but it took a few years to fully sink in with me. Cherish those rela- tionships. There are people I met when I was 19 that I will still be talking to 20 years from now. We’ll still be making agreements with a handshake.
Q: What aspect of the business challenged you the most early on?
I used to hear employees say I was too young to be their manager, or my dad must have helped me get my job. There was no greater motivation to show my value.
Q: What advice would you give someone new to the produce industry?
Pick up the phone, and you’ll accomplish things quicker and more effectively than using email. You are less likely to have your message misconstrued, and you will also form a valu- able relationship with the person on the other end.
Q: What do you think the industry can do to promote more produce consumption?
We need to continue to make flavor a top priority and educate people that produce is still a seasonal product.
Q: What was the “aha” moment when you knew the produce industry was the best choice for you?
The first time I ate a Masumoto gold dust peach. It opened my eyes to how ripe stone fruit is truly supposed to taste, and how much care is required to achieve excellence.
34 / JUNE 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS