2023 Produce Business 40 Under Forty Award Winner: Mayra A. Marin Oviedo

Age: 38

Replenishment Analyst/Sales
Misionero
Gonzales, CA

Hometown: Salinas, CA.
Hobbies: Photography, Gardening, Family road trips with unexpected detours
Family/Community: Married, 2 children
Motto in life: Don’t stress over the things you cannot control. Keep high aspirations, moderate expectations, and small needs.

Over the course of her 19-year tenure at Misionero, Marin has proven herself to be an invaluable asset to the organization. She started in 2004 as an appointment coordinator, assisting the warehouse with inbound/outbound shipments. As she became more familiar with the business and adapted quickly with the team, she became production plant coordinator in 2005, overseeing the day-to-day operations of a production plant and responsible for ensuring production the team meets scheduled goals.

In 2008, she moved into sales and marketing, and she was promoted to a sales position in 2016, where she was responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with key clients. In 2018, she became a replenishing analyst, and currently manages replenishment at warehouses for key customers, including shipping products, rotating inventory and scheduling shipments to each warehouse nationally. She has helped successfully introduce several new products, increasing the company’s market share.

Q: How did you begin working in the produce industry?
My father started as a field worker and later, with his discipline and hustle, became a foreman and retired from a supervisor position. Our family would make the seasonal move between the Salinas Valley and Yuma growing regions. I naturally developed a respect for the industry seen through my father’s hard work and dedication. I was fresh out of college looking for a job as an accountant when an opportunity with Misionero arose. Never did I expect my first job to lead me to where I am today in the produce industry. I was hooked immediately and continued to learn as much as possible.

Q: What do you know now you wish you knew when you first started your career?
Plan for success and plan for the unexpected. At the end of the day, it will be OK.

Q: What aspect of the business challenged you the most early on?
My biggest challenge early on in my career was trying to prove myself, all while learning the ropes and not being able to identify important versus priority.

Q: How has the industry changed during your tenure?
The industry has changed overall due to automation. There are new ways to automate in operations. There’s less paperwork in the office.

Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
I’ve always thought that building a strong work ethic throughout a team is a great accomplishment. If one succeeds, we all do.

Q: What advice would you give someone new to the produce industry?
Please be open-minded, willing to learn and flexible. Produce can be stressful, but if you keep things in perspective and maintain a positive attitude, you will do well.

Q: What do you see as a critical issue facing the industry in the next decade and why?
Consumer behavior. Today, people are demanding safe, fast, transparent, personalized and sustainable products, and services and business practices that align with their personal values. Companies that don’t quickly meet those expectations risk losing market share.