Grimmway Farms Chief People Officer Sara Oliver To Retire After More Than 30 Years Of Leadership

Industry Veteran Peter Vitarisi Assumes Global Role for Human Resources Management and Corporate Social Responsibility

Bakersfield, CA, October 1, 2024: Sara Oliver has officially stepped down from her leadership role as Chief People Officer (CPO) at Grimmway Farms after more than 30 years of service with the global produce leader.

During her long and distinguished tenure, Oliver was responsible for overseeing Grimmway’s employee relations, career development, education and training, and health and wellness programs. She also managed the teams responsible for government and community relations and corporate philanthropy. A long-time member of Grimmway’s Executive Leadership, Oliver has been a key contributor to the company’s strategic growth and acquisition initiatives.

“Sara’s commitment to expanding career opportunities for our family of employees, combined with her dedication to recruiting and retaining exceptional talent across all areas of the business, has been instrumental in Grimmway’s continued growth and success,” said Grimmway Farms President and CEO Jeff Huckaby. “Sara has advanced professional development opportunities for women throughout the company, and she has always championed dignity, respect, fairness, and safety for our dedicated employees.”

Stepping into Oliver’s CPO role today is food and beverage industry veteran Peter Vitarisi, who joined Grimmway earlier this year with more than 20 years of strategic human resources experience. Following a collaborative and intentional transition period, Vitarisi now assumes Oliver’s day-to-day responsibilities as she moves into an advisory role until her official retirement in January 2025.

“Sara has led our team through some of the most pivotal times in the company’s history, and she leaves an indelible mark on the culture and values that guide Grimmway’s success,” Huckaby added. “With Peter, we welcome another strategic leader who is equally committed to growing and supporting our most important resource—our people.”

In his former position as Chief People Officer with Basic American Foods, Vitarisi was responsible for driving employee engagement, talent recruitment and retention. Previously, he served in executive HR roles with E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto and J.M. Smucker Company in five diverse regions within the United States and Canada. He received his BA in Food Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and an MBA in Human Resources from Baldwin Wallace University.

“Over the last seven months, I have experienced first-hand the commitment and people-first approach that Sara has instilled at Grimmway over more than three decades,” said Vitarisi. “Grimmway employees are the heart and soul of this company, and I look forward to building upon Sara’s legacy of attracting and developing top talent and advancing an inclusive culture that honors the company’s history as a caring and responsible employer.”

“It has been an honor to work with the generations of employees who have built Grimmway into the great company it is today,” said Oliver. “While this is a bittersweet moment, I fortunately have the opportunity to continue to collaborate with Jeff, Peter and the team in an advisory capacity over the next few months.”