ABOUT USMeet the Team

Role: Ricardo is the Chief Commercial Officer and third generation co-owner of Wholesum. Through deep industry knowledge, vision and innovation he has created a market for organic, fair trade produce in the US by educating retailers and connecting consumers with farm workers through authentic story-telling and supply chain transparency. To serve his industry and community, he serves as a board member of several non-profits including Board Chair of Fair Trade USA.

Background: Ricardo holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. He is also a respected leader in the produce industry, bringing over 20 years of experience in the commercialization of sustainable, organic produce.

Fun Fact: In addition to his work at Wholesum, Ricardo values time with his family and enjoys trying new activities while traveling.

Role: Theojary (Theo) is the Chief Operations Officer and third generation co-owner of Wholesum. Theo weaves passion and integrity in his work overseeing growing operations at the family farms. As a company leader and organic vegetable production expert, Theo has dedicated efforts in exploring new technologies that elevate organic production to make responsibly-grown, organic food accessible. To serve the industry, Theo is the Board Chairman of the Organic Produce Association.

Background: Theo’s passion comes from his childhood spent in the tomato fields of Culiacan, Sinaloa, MX and his training in engineering from the University of the Pacific, in Stockton, CA.

Fun Fact: In his time away from work, he deeply enjoys riding road bikes and cooking on the weekends. His favorite getaway is sailing the Catamarans.

Role: Francisco is the Director of Wholesum Farms Sonora, responsible for overseeing all administrative and operational aspects of Wholesum’s greenhouse production site in Imuris, Sonora, MX. As a passionate and dedicated leader, he guides managers to make the best decisions for the company and its stakeholder community. Francisco is a member of the Advisory Council of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Coalition and the Grower-Shipper Council at IFPA.

Background: Francisco holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agro-industrial Engineering from Universidad Autonoma de Occidente.

Fun Fact: In his personal time, he enjoys learning about personal finances and watching historical documentaries. Francisco is a Rotary Club member in Nogales, Sonora and finds purpose in community service.

Role: Jose is the General Manager of Wholesum Farms Arizona. He oversees operations at Wholesum’s high-tech greenhouse production site in Amado, AZ. Since 2008, Jose has played an integral role in many of Wholesum’s milestone moments including the company’s transition to organic production and decision to construct Wholesum Farms Arizona as a 100% organic production site.

Background: Jose studied Electrical Engineering at Universidad del Valle de Mexico and Logistics, Materials and Supply Chain Management at Cochise College. He currently serves the industry as a member of IFPA’s Organic Committee and participates in the seventh class of Western Grower’s Future Volunteer Leaders.

Fun Fact: In his spare time, Jose enjoys life on the court and sees playing basketball as the best way to meditate, reset and disconnect from the world for a bit.

Role: Linda is Wholesum’s Director of Corporate Finance. She is responsible for the successful financial administration of the company. This includes the standardization of finance and business processes across the group of companies, including the implementation of accounting policies and internal controls. In addition to this role, Linda serves on Wholesum’s Board of Directors, where she provides guidance pertaining to the financial health and growth of the company.

Background: Linda holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from the University of Arizona and became a Certified Bookkeeper through the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers.

Fun Fact: In her personal life, Linda values faith and family the most. She also enjoys hiking, playing volleyball and trying different foods from all over the world.

Role: Kristina is the Sales Manager at Wholesum. She leads the Sales team by developing and executing strategies on product placement as well as creating sales programs to successfully bring Wholesum products to market. As a leader within the commercial team, Kristina skillfully balances customer and grower relationships to ensure profitable win-win relationships for all. She also ensures our Fair Trade program is prioritized according to Wholesum’s standards and values.

Background: Kristina holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of San Diego.

Fun Fact: In her personal life, Kristina loves to spend time with her two sons and likes to read on child development subjects and novels. She confesses that her guilty pleasure is watching Latin-American soap operas while drinking a fine glass of wine.

Role: Joanna is Wholesum’s Marketing Manager. In this role, she leads the marketing team in the strategic development of the Wholesum brand and its positioning across multiple channels. Among her responsibilities, Joanna oversees all brand communications, trade show strategy and market research efforts to support customer and consumer facing marketing efforts. In the industry, she has served as a member of the marketing committee for the Organic Produce Association.

Background: Joanna holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Arts and a Master of Arts in Communication from the University of Arizona.

Fun Fact: When not working on marketing projects for Wholesum, she enjoys getting crafty at home, time with her two pups and karaoke.

Role: Vanessa is Wholesum’s Manager of Human Resources. Her responsibilities range from talent acquisition, onboarding, and diversity initiatives to managing conditions of employment and health management programming. Aside from performing day-to-day HR functions, she also provides management-level leadership and guidance to the HR Department. As an HR leader, Vanessa exemplifies and transmits the Wholesum’s core values and fosters a culture of inclusivity among the workforce.

Background: Vanessa has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a minor in Accounting and Marketing.

Fun Fact: In her personal life, Vanessa enjoys coaching women and helping them achieve personal growth. She is also an avid participant of the rodeo life.

Role: Dario is the Supply Chain Manager at Wholesum. His responsibilities include overseeing all logistic aspects of production and distribution of Wholesum produce. This includes planning and implementing solutions for the company’s warehouse operations and managing logistics from growers to customers in order for our product to reach the consumer in the most efficient and responsible way. Since his start at Wholesum in 2013, Dario has contributed to the company’s success in multiple areas.

Background: Dario studied Business Administration and Management at the University of Arizona and obtained a Bachelor of Laws at Universidad del Valle de Mexico.

Fun Fact: Dario enjoys spending leisure time at his family farm taking care of the horses and cattle.