Patrick came to Rivermaid Trading Company in 2003 with two degrees from UC Davis (a B.S. in Agricultural Science & Management and an MBA) and a wealth of industry experience. He was named Sales Manager in 2006, COO in 2008, and CEO in 2011, a position that enables him to develop the company’s vision and execute its goals on a daily basis.

“We have a clear vision of where we’re going, we’re developing awesome human talent and hiring even more talent as we grow,” Patrick says. “We’re looking hard at what we do and how we can get better at it. Perishability is pressure. Strategy is stimulating.”

That kind of intensity is in Patrick’s DNA and in the heart of our company, fueled by Patrick’s belief in education, travel and observation. During his tenure with Marko Zaninovich, Patrick traveled to Asia and Europe to observe his products at market. “There was nothing more valuable in my experience,” he says.

At the same time, he puts a premium on activities our entire team can enjoy together. “We drive pear category growth with good data and by giving consumers the most flavorful eating experience, and we want to have fun doing it,” he explained.

“We’re passionate about our categories, and we want to be the world’s authorities on them.”

Apart from his role at Rivermaid Trading Company, Patrick’s interests run the gamut from hunting to music, wine to fantasy football. He enjoys coaching youth soccer, and serves as a board member of the California Pear Advisory Board and the California Pear Growers Association.

After graduating with a degree in Agronomy from California State University, Chico, in 1978, Brian gave himself exactly one day to relax and reflect on the achievement. The very next Monday, he began working for All State Packers (now Rivermaid Trading Company), where he continues to put his education and years of farming experience to work every day.

Representing the fourth generation of a farming family, Brian was especially drawn to the pear business, appreciating the healthful benefits of the product as well as the character of the people involved. He quickly rose to the position of Sales Manager, and then was given the opportunity of becoming a partner in the business.

“It’s gratifying to know that we’ve added third, fourth and fifth generation farmers to our grower base,” Brian says. “They’re good people – the heart of our supply – and I enjoy a good rapport with them. To see Rivermaid Trading Company thrive and contribute to the economy is rewarding, because I know we’re providing a service that’s vital to the nation.”

When Brian isn’t busy with his duties at Rivermaid Trading Company, he enjoys athletic and concert events, travel, history and antiquities. His love of all things outdoors extends from skiing to hunting to the occasional round of golf. Brian is also involved with Special Olympics, the Lake County Pear Association Board and other worthwhile organizations.

Born and raised in the Sacramento River Delta community of Walnut Grove, Chiles brought his family’s long farming heritage into its fifth generation.

He began working for All State Packers in 1972, and so impressed its owner – the Eadington Davis Company – that they handed him the operational reins in 1979. The company flourished under the leadership of Chiles and his longtime friend, Brian Machado. So much so, that in 1993, the two were able to buy-out Eadington Davis and own the company outright.

In 2011, All State Packers was renamed Rivermaid Trading Company, and Chiles continues to oversee the company’s operations as its President. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Pacific Coast Producers, a California-based fruit processor.

“Being able to continue my family’s farming legacy and be part of an industry-leading company setting new standards in quality, flavor and safety – that’s been a dream come true,” Chiles said. “It just doesn’t get any better than that.”

While Chiles’ professional journey has taken him far, he continues to live in his Walnut Grove home surrounded by his family’s pear orchards.