Florida Citrus Commission
The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) is dedicated to overseeing and guiding the activities of the Florida Department of Citrus, conducting a variety of industry programs, and regulating the quality standards of citrus grown in Florida. Learn more about how the FCC represents citrus growers, processors and packers.
Florida Citrus Commission Districts
District 1
Counties
Collier, Hendry, Lee
Paul Meador
Grower
Term Ends: May 31, 2025
District 2
Counties
Charlotte, DeSoto
Vacant
Grower
Term Ends:
District 3
Counties
Glades, Highlands, Okeechobee
John Smoak, III
Grower
Term Ends: June 30, 2023
District 4
Counties
Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota
Steve Johnson
Grower
Term Ends: June 30, 2023
District 5
Counties
Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Osceola, Pasco, Polk, Sumter
Martin "Marty" J. McKenna
Grower
Term Ends: June 30, 2024
District 6
Counties
Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Flagler, Indian River, Lake, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, Palm Beach, Putnam, St. Johns, Seminole, St. Lucie, Volusia
J. Patrick Schirard
Grower
Term Ends: June 30, 2024
State Wide
Processor
Christopher W. Groom
Term Ends: June 30, 2023
Carlos Martinez
Term Ends: June 30, 2024
William “Bill” Poulton
Term Ends: May 31, 2025
Large Grower
Daniel Sutton
Term Ends: May 31, 2025
Packer
Vaccant
Term Ends:
Commissioners
The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) is an eleven-member board appointed by the Governor of Florida to represent citrus growers, processors and packers.
The FCC serves in the capacity of a board of directors and agency head for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). The FCC oversees and guides the activities of the FDOC. It is responsible for setting the annual amount of the excise tax as well as quality standards for all citrus grown, packed or processed in Florida. In addition, the FCC conducts a wide variety of programs involving industry regulation, scientific, market and economic research, advertising, merchandising, public and industry relations and consumer promotions.
District 1
Paul J. Meador
President, Everglades Harvesting & Hauling, Inc.
Paul Meador is a fourth generation Florida citrus grower who serves as president of LaBelle-based Everglades Harvesting & Hauling Inc. and its family of companies.
Everglades Harvesting harvests a number of agricultural commodities throughout the United States including Florida citrus. The company transports raw agricultural crops from the farm to the first point of process or packing, and manages citrus and specialty crops all over Florida. It employees a workforce of more than 1,000 full time and seasonal men and women.
In addition to his duties at Everglades, Meador is Managing Partner of Bear Hammock Groves, LLC.
Meador is well versed in all aspects of the Florida citrus industry including growing, harvesting, hauling, packing and processing. He has worked with leaders in the state and federal government on a host of issues throughout his career. Meador also works as a broker/salesman specializing in large tracts of agricultural property in Florida.
Industry Affiliations:
- Vice President /Board Member of Florida Citrus Mutual
- Executive Board Member of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association
- Executive Board member of the National Council of Agricultural Employers.
- Past President of the Hendry/Glades County Farm Bureau.
- Past Vice President Gulf Citrus Growers Association
Married for more than thirty years, Meador and his family reside in Fort Denaud, Florida.
District 2
Vacant
District 3
John Smoak, III
CEO, Smoak Groves, Inc.
John Smoak III is the president of Smoak Groves, Inc. based in Lake Placid, Fla.
Smoak is a third-generation citrus grower with nearly 30 years of experience in the Florida Citrus industry. He is a board member of Florida’s Natural Growers and Heartland National Bank. He is Member of Florida Citrus Mutual, Highlands County Citrus Growers, the Florida Cattlemen’s Association and is an alumnus of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute.
Smoak has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida.
District 4
Steve A. Johnson, Chairman
Owner/General Manager, Johnson Harvesting, Inc.
Steve A. Johnson is the owner and general manager of Johnson Harvesting, Inc., based in Wauchula. A fourth-generation citrus grower and cattle rancher from Southwest Florida, Johnson made the decision at an early age to continue the family business. In addition to managing the operations of the citrus harvesting and brokerage company, he oversees the management of his family’s citrus groves and commercial cow-calf operations.
Johnson serves as the Florida Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors secretary and board member as well as on the Hardee County Soil and Water Conservation board and the Hardee County Farm Bureau Federation board. He previously served as a Florida Citrus Mutual board member, Hardee County Chamber of Commerce board member and American Farm Bureau Federation Labor Committee board member and chair.
Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science in agricultural operations management from the University of Florida.
District 5
Martin “Marty” McKenna
President/Owner, McKenna & Associates Citrus, Inc.
Marty McKenna is president and owner of McKenna & Associates Citrus, Inc., a citrus caretaking and consulting operation in Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties. In addition, McKenna and his brother, Pat, operate McKenna Brothers, Inc. in Polk and Lee counties.
Prior to starting his own company, McKenna worked for Joe L. Davis Groves and Ranch for 14 years.
Throughout his career, he has been actively involved in the industry. McKenna currently serves on the Citrus Research and Development Foundation and the boards of Florida Citrus Mutual and Farm Credit Association of Southwest Florida.
Previously, McKenna was president of the Florida Citrus Production Managers Association, Highlands County Citrus Growers Association and Florida Citrus Mutual. He is a past member of Florida Citrus Research Advertising Council.
He attended the University of Florida.
District 6
Patrick Schirard
Director, Citrus Extracts, LLC
Patrick Schirard is the director of Citrus Extracts, LLC and the former president of GEM Indian River Select, LLC in Fort Pierce, Florida. He is also a Florida Citrus grower.
Schirard comes from a fourth-generation family of Florida Citrus growers. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1982 with his Bachelor of Science in Food and Resource Economics. Schirard has an impressive background in citrus production starting out in the early 1980s as production manager for ABC Fruit Company and United Grove Caretakers then moving his way up to general manager of the company in 1989. In 1993, he accepted the position of production manager at Groveco, Inc. with grove production in Martin and Highlands Counties. The operation expanded into the fresh citrus packing and juice extraction and marketing businesses. In 1996, Freshco Ltd and Indian River Select, LLC began operations in Fort Pierce, Florida. For the next 20 years, he worked to grow the business into a premium niche brand of 100% Florida juices in over 4,000 retail stores throughout the United States.
Schirard is a vital leader in the Florida Citrus industry and currently serves on the Florida Citrus Commission and as president for the Indian River Citrus League. He also served as president of the Florida Citrus Production Managers Association from 2000-2002.
Statewide Large Grower
Daniel Sutton
President/General Manager, Alico, Inc.
Daniel “Danny” Sutton is the president and GM of Citrus at Alico, Inc., based in Fort Myers, Fla.
Sutton has more than 27 years of experience in the Florida Citrus industry. He previously served as director of citrus and production manager at Alico. Sutton is a Florida Citrus Mutual board member and vice president of Gulf Citrus Growers Association.
Sutton has a bachelor’s degree in citrus business from Florida Southern College.
Statewide Packer
Vacant
Statewide Processors
Christopher Groom
CMO, Florida's Natural Growers
Chris Groom is chief marketing officer for Florida’s Natural Growers located in Lake Wales, Florida.
Previously serving as senior director of marketing and vice president of sales for Florida’s Natural Growers, Groom has been involved in the citrus industry for 8 years. Groom currently serves as Treasurer of Florida’s Natural Grower’s Foundation, is a Northwestern University Alumni Mentor, and a Bishop Moore Scramble Committee member.
Groom holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in international business studies from University of South Carolina. Groom resides in Orlando with his wife Alvida, and children Tommy, Sophie, and Anika.
Carlos Martinez
Procurement Manager, The Coca-Cola Company
Carlos Martinez is Procurement Manager for the Coco-Cola Company where he is responsible for procuring orange pulp, cranberry, strawberry, and tropical fruits around the world to support several global brands in 30 countries.
He has been involved in the citrus industry for 30 years. Previously, he has held other roles within the Coca-Cola Company as well as Cutrale Citrus USA.
Carlos holds a Business Administration degree from the University of Central Florida as well as a Master’s in Christian theology from Saint Leo University.
William “Bill” Poulton
Sr. Director Global Procurement, Pepsico
Bill Poulton serves as Sr. Director Global Procurement for Pepsico, and is responsible for citrus sourcing and procurement in the state of Florida to support Tropicana business. He also serves as Chairman of Board of Directors for the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. He has 13 years of experience in the industry.
Bill previously served as Director of Manufacturing for Tropicana Products and as Plant Manager for Pernod Ricard USA. He also served in the US Navy. He enjoys spending his free time with his family, including his wife, Tara, and his four children.
Bill holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Duke University.
