From staff and Associated Press reports
David Murdock, Dole Food Co. owner and acting CEO, will now only hold the title of chairman, the company has announced.
Privately held food maker Dole, based in Westlake Village, Calif., has named David DeLorenzo as president and chief executive. DeLorenzo, 59, serves on the board of directors and chairs the audit committee. He has been with the company for more than 37 years.
Murdock, the owner of Dole, previously acted as chief executive officer and will remain chairman of the board. He commented in a prepared statement, “We are pleased to have David undertake this expanded leadership role in the company. His knowledge and experience in the industry are unprecedented.”
Dole Food Co., Inc., with 2006 revenues of $6.2 billion, is the world’s largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and fresh-cut flowers. Dole markets a growing line of packaged foods and frozen fruit and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research, which is on display as the N.C. Research Campus takes shape in Kannapolis.
President and Chief Operating Officer Richard Dahl, 54, is leaving the company to pursue other interests.