RECEIVING THE 24th ANNUAL “FRIEND OF CHILE” AWARD
Mark Greenberg, President and CEO, Capespan North America
Mark Greenberg, President of Capespan North America, was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. He attended Clark University in Worcester, MA where he obtained his undergraduate degree in Economics and International Relations in 1977 and then went on to earn his MA (Economics) in 1979 at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. In 1981, after working in Vancouver as the Director of Research Services for the British Columbia School Trustees’ Association, Mark headed back east to Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia where he earned his law degree in 1984.
After practising corporate and commercial law in Toronto, Mark returned to Montreal in 1990 and ultimately joined FBI Foods, the parent company of Fisher Bros. Ltd., as the Vice President-Procurement. Mark’s primary responsibility was to develop Fisher Bros’. Chilean business and take advantage of the opportunities that the expansion and development of the Chilean fruit industry offered.
In 2008 Mark was named Chief Operating Officer of Fisher Capespan, as the company was then known, and in 2012 he was named President and Chief Executive Officer. In 2015 the company officially changed its name to Capespan North America.
Mark has traveled extensively and frequently to Chile, and elsewhere, establishing close and long-standing relationships with the growers, packers and shippers that have formed the supply backbone of Capespan North America. He has a dedicated team behind him working in Montreal, Gloucester, Pedricktown, Fresno, Fort Lauderdale and Cape Town, all of whom are committed to driving Capespan North America’s business forward.
Mark lives in Montreal with his wife Lise and their dog Lucy and cat Tyson.
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RECEIVING THE 2023 ALBERT S. MARULLI “LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT” AWARD
Chilean & American Chamber of Commerce Outgoing Executive Board Members
President and Chairman Robert Palaima
Vice President Andreas Economou
Treasurer Miriam Borja-Fisher
In 2008, Robert Palaima, Andreas Economou, and Miriam Borja-Fisher joined the Executive Board of the CACC as President and Chairman, Vice President, and Treasurer, respectively.
Robert joined the Chilean and American Chamber of Commerce in 1990 at the urging of the organization’s founders, Madeleine Champion and Marcel Jeanneret. As President of Delaware Stevedores, Inc. he worked closely in the fruit trade with Pacific Seaways at Pier 84, and later with CSAV at Tioga Marine Terminal, and attended a number of trade missions to Chile.
Miriam came on board at Western Fumigation, eventually becoming Senior Business Development Manager, in April 2002 and became active with the Chamber within a year, assuming a prior Chamber President Don Chrobak’s Board Member seat. Miriam has been a strong advocate for the Chilean-American trade in keeping with the Western tradition.
Andreas was approached by the Denadai family in 1984 to lead an importing company in the United States to market the fresh deciduous fruits produced by their Chilean export company, Unifrutti Traders, LTDA, now Tastyfrutti International, Inc. He is most proud of his work advocating for Chilean growers during the 1989 Chilean grape scare.
Ports along the Delaware River grew to handle over 60% of fresh fruit exports from Chile, and CACC grew to become the largest international chamber within the purview of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.
As a result of the Chamber’s efforts to promote a Week of Chile in 2009, the Bacchanal Committee of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts for the first time recognized new world wine makers by giving their prestigious Thomas Jefferson Award to Chilean producers Vina Montes and Concha y Toro. In 2010, the Chamber hosted a number of events to aid relief efforts in Chile after a particularly devastating earthquake.
During their time at the helm, the Executive Board had the privilege of working with a number of Ambassadors of the Republic of Chile over the years, including Mariano Fernandez, Arturo Fermandois, and Juan Gabriel Valdes, as well as former ASOEX President Ronald Bown. They had the opportunity of meeting former Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, and in 2015 hosted Michelle Bachelet at a dinner in her honor; the first time a sitting President of Chile visited our region.
The Chamber’s leaders believed in an ecumenical approach to leading CACC, promoting with vigor trade opportunities between Chile and Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Beyond commercial ties, Robert encouraged the advancement of Chilean arts and literature as well as cuisine and culture. He left his post on September 1st, but hopes to continue to serve the membership and Board in an emeritus role.
Miriam will retire from Western Fumigation at the end of the year and will continue to be an Honorary Member of the Chilean board, helping the Chamber to capitalize on the strength of her relationships within the industry both locally and in Chile.
Andreas sold Tastyfrutti International to Procacci company and continues to provide business consulting services. He will keep his role as a Board Member.
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For more information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Christina Lista at [email protected].