Nissa N. Pierson Resume ~ 2016

Nissa N. Pierson San Francisco, California 347-306-3286 www.ger-nis.com www.ger-nis.com/culinaryherbcenter www.nissa.ger-nis.com www.underthemangotree.crespoorganic.com

Expertise Career Skills/Knowledge

Local, Organic, Fair Trade Sustainable Agricultural Development & Marketing Expert with focus on small growers in developing countries, as well as pockets of local markets within the USA. Cutting edge strategic marketing and media skills and executions. Sustainable & mission driven consumer education advocate for USA market place. “Seed to Mouth” expert, focus on the entire food system from the seed/farm to the store/consumer pallet. Grower advocate. Culinary Food Expert. Chef. Presentation/Public Speaking, Excellent Motivation and Independent Functioning Skills. Customer Service, Product Management, Strategic Planning, New Product Research and Development, Competitive Strategies/Pricing, Organizational Restructuring, Sales/Marketing, Technical Service/Support Systems/Installations and Training, Staff supervision, Training & Development, Account Client Development and Maintenance, Operations/OC-Productio0n and Inventory Control, Farm Operations Management, Procurement Operations and Negotiations, Cost Reduction/Cost Effective Production and Increased Productivity, Distribution and Transportation. Quality, Specifications Expert. Food Safety and Global GS1 Knowledge. Visual Marketing and Materials, Food Writing and Recipe Development. Organic & Fair-trade Education and Culinary Education. Bilingual (English/Spanish) Cognitive understanding and limited usage of : Hebrew, French, Arabic and German. Extensive world travels and cultural knowledge especially in the Middle East and Latin America.

Experience

April 2011- Present Independent Consultant World Wide Organic, Sustainable, Local Fair Trade Agricultural Consultant Product Consultancy

• Organic and Fair-trade new product development for growers, retailers and importers

• Innovative cutting edge ideas in packaging development, concept creation and pre-hot market items

• Developed packaging concepts for organics to help with register differentiation problems such as ginger and garlic

• Product development for in value added products from produce base into bottled, jarred, dried etc. ( Pesto, dried tomatoes, relish)

• New product market development and strategic placement • Specification, varietal and markets expert.

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Global Grower/Producer Consultancy

• Export & Import Systems development expertise, have created brand new export/import systems with multi million dollars in revenue in over 10 countries (Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Holland, Belgium, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, China and Ethiopia)

• Local market systems development into large (local) retail food chains for organic growers in the Hudson River Valley in NY

• Substantial work in USA market with USDA, FDA, food safety, traceability and produce regulations in both teaching growers the regulations and how to keep up to speed but also holding all USA regulating bodies accountable for follow through while utilizing my vast resources of regulations and industry contacts

• Worked alongside many Ministries of Agriculture in developing countries in order to help move forward export potential for small subsistence growers. (Israel, Peru, Chile, Jordan, Mexico and China)

• Assisted in funding ventures alongside both private equity banks and foreign public banks in order to achieve funding for small scale organic growers to export products. ( Peru, Mexico)

• Participated on the marketing side of US Aid ventures in Jordan, Palestine Ethiopia and Afghanistan, through third party entities. (Organic: Chives, Fresh Herbs, Saffron)

• Pre-Import analysis expert, have accessed export and market potential for countless organic products, producers and countries of export looking for opportunities and product diversification all throughout the globe in order to seek larger margins for growers. (Diversified organic mango growers co-op in Peru as the markets in the USA were continuing to trend downward year after year so, organic sweet potatoes were grown in the orchards as a supplement and exported to Europe.)

• Local market development assistance. Developing local markets help growers attain some power over market dips and weather related catastrophes.

• Export sales analysis for growers, teaching operational assistance, margin and cost analysis, negotiation, latest technology in yield calculating, basic computer skills and information reporting mechanisms

• Grower education in markets. Extensive experience in training growers about market options, mainly USA markets as they are intricate and in some cases bizarre. Everything from regulations, to the PLU sticker to the consumer itself. (Mexico, Peru, Israel, Belgium- main speaker in market research grower symposiums put on by organic trade associations and private export groups.

• Grower tours of USA markets, East & West, including wholesalers, terminal markets and retail outlets large and small, including Wal-Mart’s

• Language and culture educator and learner

Governmental Consultancy • Organic and Fair-trade export development working directly with

governmental agencies (US AID and IESC in Tunisia.) • Full service export consultancy, analysis and marketing/sales support. •

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Retail & Importer Consultancy (USA & Europe) • Grower connections, maintenance and development • Retail positioning /meaningful consumer outreach marketing • Sales strategy assistance by commodity, country and organic/fair-trade • Supply Chain Management – grower/commodity specific-organic & Fair-

trade (Fresh Herbs, vegetables, fair trade developing world fruits, spices) ( Albert’s Organics, United Fresh, Fairtrasa, Jacobs Farm Del Cabo, Spinaca Farms, Shanghai ACE)

Marketing, Branding & Media Consultancy • Modern & innovative marketing expertise for entire food system, “from

seed to mouth” • North American organic behavior expert and analyst via end

user/consumer research • Marketing platform development for growers, retailers, distributors on

organic product specific, company specific, mission specific and country specific ventures

• Social media strategist and expert with PR savvy and expertise (connections to mainstream food influencers throughout North America.)

• Branding & packaging development and strategy ( Jacobs Farm, Fairtrasa, United Fresh, Edom UK, Koppert Cress, Spinaca Farms, Shanghai Ace)

• Website development & consultation ( Spinaca Farms, Herbal Roots) • Mission and branding statements, clarity of mission and brand message • Videography consulting via substantial and qualified contacts with similar

mission driven incentives, especially helpful with small growers wanting to create brands and visibility

• Empowering growers with identity of their countries, products, brand through marketing and PR ( wed development, language, logos, brand messaging etc)

• Recipe development, food photography • Direct to consumer education and marketing services ( trade associations,

growers, retailers) April 2010 - Present Ger-Nis Culinary & Herb Center New York, New York Managing Member

• Creation of new sustainable culinary center and lifestyle brand specializing in local, organic, sustainable and fair-trade food and food culture education with an emphasis on fresh herbs and small growers

• Recreational culinary curriculum and recipe development for children and adults

• Sustainable food events curators and marketers, supper clubs, contests, fundraisers etc

• Sustainable, local, organic, and fair-trade agricultural consulting and marketing

• Food Writing specialists; cook books, sustainable food articles, recipe based Articles, fair-trade and developing producers education articles.

• Recipe development for corporate brands, retailers and herbal consulting • Children’s sustainable food education, in schools, at farms, etc • Special project for 2013 national fair-trade fruit brand and corresponding

marketing implementation for North America

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• Adult recreational culinary education classes nationwide • New York Schools Culinary Educational Instructor focus on fresh herbs,

farming and organics • Professional food writing, recipe development & recipe writing • Private recreational cooking classes and event curating • Produce marketing and design • Food photography and food styling

May 2005-2011 Ger-Nis International LLC New York, New York Founder/Managing Director

• Creation of national import & Distribution Company specializing in top quality agro technology, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh herbs, with focus on organics.

• Organized and Introduced Organic Fair-Trade Fruit branch of business, supporting small global producers in Latin America: Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru and Ecuador.

• Introduce new brand/label to existing market successfully. • Market and achieve targeted margins and high results and returns for

growers and create a buzz for high quality products and move towards changing customers and markets towards organics & Fair-trade

• Organize and support growers in the importation and distribution of their products for fair price returns

• Create new systems in order to achieve top efficiencies and achieves consistent growth for 5 year target plan of 18 million dollars in sales.

• Advocate and ardent follower of social responsibility before it was “hip” • First in the industry to use culinary and social education of products, and

growers on a national level. • Local organic produce line development and support of local grower. • Standardized orders to maintain top efficiencies and increase profitability

on pallet building, transportation. All practices gave flexibility to grower/shipper side in order to maximize logistical concerns.

• Consulting in the implementation of structure and systems due to rapid growth. Turned around quality /inefficiency problems, increased fill rates, reduced shrink. Developed new systems for the process to maintain cold chain from farm to end user, eliminated extra product in inventory.

2011 and Prior Various Produce Companies USA

Various Titles

• Varies titles and positions at some of the top fresh herb company’s in the nation.

• Procurement and Supply Chain Development • New Business Development • Sales, Regional and National Sales • Pack House Supervisor • Retail Sales Manger • Food Service Sales Manger • Customer Service

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Education

Computer Skills

Interests

Gustavus Adolphus College 1991-1995 St Peter, MN • Major: Sustainable Economic and Environmental Development • Minor(s): International Studies/Geography/Spanish • Study Abroad Programs in Mexico, Politics & Economic Development

Post Graduate Education • Mankato State University: Mankato, MN 1995 International Woman’s Studies • University of Oregon: Eugene, Oregon 1998 Urban Farming Program • University of Oregon: Eugene, Oregon 1998 Master Organic Gardening • The New School: New York, New York: 2008 UN Food and Agricultural Policy • The New School: New York, New York: 2008 Food Writing • The New School: New York, New York: 2009 Photography • On-Line Education: 2009- Present – Online courses in web development,

design and editing software; photography, video & latest tech programs • edX Course: The Science of Happiness; US Berkeley and The Greater Good

Science Center Jan 2016 Extensive Computer Skills • Proficient in Word, Works, Excel (Macros) Power Point, Publisher, Access,

Adobe Acrobat, Photo Explorer, In Design, Adobe Illustrator, Photo Shop, Word Press, and many more including Macintosh applications and HTML coding.

• Firm grasp of website development/extensive support system in this category • Skillful in the use/maintenance/training in regards to working with multiple

servers in multiple locations, and the ability to understand software and hardware problems of diverse levels.

• Software and Ap Development knowledge. Played intricate role in the creation and implementation of new sales/accounting produce software, consulted in the development of food aps.

• Easily able to set up diverse complicated workstations quickly. • Excellent working knowledge of broadband and wireless access and servers

domestically and internationally thus being able to work easily from anywhere in the world.

Organic herb gardening. Expert cook specializing in fresh herbs and exotic ingredients in useful practical avenues. Daily recipe development. Blogger, food writer. Food culture research and writer. Food Photographer. Teacher of cooking classes, specializing in creativity with ingredients to kids and adults. Hoping to help make the world and specifically the agricultural business more equal for women. World travel and absorption of cultures from around the world. Cultural eating patterns, food and people in general. Oceans, beaches, hot sunshine and sipping espressos in port cities. Dog lover and amateur food chemist.

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