Lindsey Occhipinti's guest appearances

Lindsey Occhipinti

The Produce Moms Podcast

Nick Carter

Kara Goldin

Dana Gunders

Tonya Antle

Mike O'Brien

Beth Miller

Corteva Agriscience

Jennifer Wiese

LIsa Helfman

Chris Sutton

Tony Stewart

Marc Oshima

James Lake

Frank Muir

Joy Bauer

OwlTail

Ana Mejia

“Our CEO, Shah Kazemi, felt like it was important to give back to the families that are behind the brand.”  Lindsey Occhipinti (06:47 - 06:52)   Celebrating its 50th year in business, Monterey Mushrooms has taken the “family first” philosophy to new levels over the years. Still family-owned, Monterey has given back to its employees' families over the last 30 years, assisting their children in furthering their post-secondary education goals.   Starting with just one farm in California, Monterey Mushrooms now spans nine farms with national distribution of over 200 million pounds of mushrooms every year. The company continues to be a private and family-owned business. To further support their over 4,000 employees and instill their family first ideals, Monterey Mushrooms established a scholarship program in 1992.    In 2004, the scholarship was renamed the Carl Victor Fields Scholarship on behalf of the company’s past Vice President of Marketing who was passionate about the importance of young people reaching their full potential. The scholarship is specifically for any students that are children of employees at Monterey Mushrooms looking to further their post-secondary education. The application process consists of students discussing their academic background, interests, work experience and personal achievements. Since the program was established, Monterey Mushrooms has awarded over $3m in scholarship money to children of employees.   The feeling of comradery and family atmosphere in the work environment is certainly trickled down to its employees at every level. After Marketing Manager Lindsey Occhipinti graduated from college she knew she wanted to work in agriculture. As a marketer, Lindsey stresses the importance of her beliefs aligning with her companies; if she doesn’t believe in what she’s saying it won’t come off as authentic to the consumer.    “I just got a sense of community from the brand and from talking to the people.” Lindsey Occhipinti (15:00 - 15:07)   At the time, Monterey Mushrooms wasn’t a company she was too familiar with, but after researching it more and talking to the hiring manager she got a sense of community. Lindsey discovered Monterey truly stood for a family oriented culture and it was something she could really get behind and be proud of being a member.   As a recipient of the Carl Victor Fields Scholarship, Ana Mejia’s parents have both been with Monterey Mushrooms for over 25 years as pickers and now head of the cafeteria at the Loudon, Tennessee location. With Monterey Mushrooms being part of her family her entire life, Ana knows first hand the company culture.    “It just feels like home. Everyone gets along very well and we all believe in each other and push each other to become better people.” Ana Mejia (13:33 - 13:43)   When Ana began her post-secondary education path, it was a no-brainer to apply for the scholarship. Not only did she apply, but she was awarded the scholarship all four years of her time at Tennessee Tech University earning her Degree of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting. After which, she continued to earn her Master’s and is currently working on her CPA. Ana attests that she truly wouldn't have had this opportunity if it weren’t for Monterey Mushrooms and the support of her parents. The scholarship helped her gain her career and educational goals by reducing the cost. While getting her degree she had the opportunity to gain experience working in the accounting department at Monterey, and now she gets to work closely with her parents.   How to get involved  Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!  Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.     If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“Our CEO, Shah Kazemi, felt like it was important to give back to the families that are behind the brand.”  Lindsey Occhipinti (06:47 - 06:52) Celebrating its 50th year in business, Monterey Mushrooms has taken the “family first” philosophy to new levels over the years. Still family-owned, Monterey has given back to its employees' families over the last 30 years, assisting their children in furthering their post-secondary education goals. Starting with just one farm in California, Monterey Mushrooms now spans nine farms with national distribution of over 200 million pounds of mushrooms every year. The company continues to be a private and family-owned business. To further support their over 4,000 employees and instill their family first ideals, Monterey Mushrooms established a scholarship program in 1992.  In 2004, the scholarship was renamed the Carl Victor Fields Scholarship on behalf of the company’s past Vice President of Marketing who was passionate about the importance of young people reaching their full potential. The scholarship is specifically for any students that are children of employees at Monterey Mushrooms looking to further their post-secondary education. The application process consists of students discussing their academic background, interests, work experience and personal achievements. Since the program was established, Monterey Mushrooms has awarded over $3m in scholarship money to children of employees. The feeling of comradery and family atmosphere in the work environment is certainly trickled down to its employees at every level. After Marketing Manager Lindsey Occhipinti graduated from college she knew she wanted to work in agriculture. As a marketer, Lindsey stresses the importance of her beliefs aligning with her companies; if she doesn’t believe in what she’s saying it won’t come off as authentic to the consumer.  “I just got a sense of community from the brand and from talking to the people.” Lindsey Occhipinti (15:00 - 15:07) At the time, Monterey Mushrooms wasn’t a company she was too familiar with, but after researching it more and talking to the hiring manager she got a sense of community. Lindsey discovered Monterey truly stood for a family oriented culture and it was something she could really get behind and be proud of being a member. As a recipient of the Carl Victor Fields Scholarship, Ana Mejia’s parents have both been with Monterey Mushrooms for over 25 years as pickers and now head of the cafeteria at the Loudon, Tennessee location. With Monterey Mushrooms being part of her family her entire life, Ana knows first hand the company culture.  “It just feels like home. Everyone gets along very well and we all believe in each other and push each other to become better people.” Ana Mejia (13:33 - 13:43) When Ana began her post-secondary education path, it was a no-brainer to apply for the scholarship. Not only did she apply, but she was awarded the scholarship all four years of her time at Tennessee Tech University earning her Degree of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting. After which, she continued to earn her Master’s and is currently working on her CPA. Ana attests that she truly wouldn't have had this opportunity if it weren’t for Monterey Mushrooms and the support of her parents. The scholarship helped her gain her career and educational goals by reducing the cost. While getting her degree she had the opportunity to gain experience working in the accounting department at Monterey, and now she gets to work closely with her parents. How to get involved <ul> <li>Join The Produce Moms Group on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and continue the discussion every week! </li> <li>Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more <a>here</a>. </li> </ul> If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

EP184: Supporting Employees’ Families Through Scholarships With Lindsey Occhipinti and Ana Mejia of Monterey Mushrooms.

“Mushrooms are a superfood. They are nutrient-packed with fiber, B vitamins, potassium, selenium, copper and ergothioneine” Lindsey Occhipinti (11:07 - 11:12)   With the gloomy winter months upon us, especially here in the Midwest, we can all use more vitamin D.  Thankfully, we have innovative farms like Monterey Mushrooms who have teamed up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to replicate vitamin-D rich sunlight indoors for a much higher concentration of the vitamin normally found in mushrooms.    “Monterey Mushrooms is a national brand but is locally grown always.” - Lori Taylor. (8:08 - 8:11)   Monterey Mushrooms has grown from a single farm in 1971 to producing mushrooms on nine farms across North America. Monterey Mushrooms strive to provide fresh, locally grown mushrooms to everyone’s favorite grocery stores and restaurants.  Lindsey Occhipinti is the marketing manager at Monterey Mushrooms. She has spent nearly a decade working in the fresh produce industry and specifically focused on mushrooms.    Monterey Mushrooms harvest a large variety of fresh mushrooms including White Button Portabellas, Oyster, Shitake, Brown beech, White beech, King Trumpet and Portabellini®.    All the mushroom varieties from Monterey Mushrooms can be used to make diverse and tasty meals in the kitchen, including meatless dishes. Mushrooms make a great side dish or topping to any meat. Lori suggests cooking them with garlic and shallots. You can reduce your salt intake by cooking with mushrooms. Mushrooms are versatile enough to compliment almost any meal that you craft.    Try introducing mushrooms to your family in creative ways by adding them to your family's favorite dishes. At home, Lindsey replaces a chicken breast with a portabella cap in her favorite chicken marsala recipe. Using Monterey Mushrooms will reduce your reliance on vitamin D supplements as mushrooms are a natural source.     “What we’re really trying to do is accomplish what's done out in nature. So in rough terms what happens in nature in 20 minutes, we have figured out how to do in about 20 seconds .” - Lindsey Occhipinti (14:27-14:43)   The high vitamin D content of Monterey Mushrooms is produced from an expedited process where the Ergothioneine is  converted to vitamin D through a post-harvest process involving the exposure of the mushrooms during packaging to a precise wavelength of ultraviolet light.    Most Americans are not getting the necessary amount of vitamin D   Vitamin D is essential for absorption in the body of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which helps to maintain bone strength.     Beyond being essential for bone health, vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in diabetes, colon, prostate, and breast cancer, hypertension, depression, multiple sclerosis and arthritis.  In general, vitamin D is critical to overall health and is a major contributor to the immune system.   Unfortunately, dietary sources of vitamin D are limited to certain types of fish, animal livers and eggs and fortified foods.    Mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable that naturally contain vitamin D.    Now, through exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, Monterey Mushrooms can naturally increase the stable level of vitamin D within mushrooms to well above 50 percent of the FDA’s recommended daily value.     Monterey Mushrooms has made it easy for you to consume “high in vitamin D” mushrooms. Look for a vitamin D enhanced label found on select packages of Monterey Mushrooms’ white buttons, baby bellas, and portabella mushroom caps. Where can you buy these? We have you covered! Follow this link  https://www.montereymushrooms.com/where-to-buy-high-vitamin-d-mushrooms   How to get involved  Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!  Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.  Want to learn more about Monterey Mushrooms, then follow them on their website here.    The Produce Moms Podcast is live on  iTunes,  Google Play,  Stitcher and Spotify.  If you like what you are hearing on the podcast, reviews, subscriptions &amp; ratings will help us keep this going!  It would mean the world to hear your feedback, and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

“Mushrooms are a superfood. They are nutrient-packed with fiber, B vitamins, potassium, selenium, copper and ergothioneine” Lindsey Occhipinti (11:07 - 11:12) With the gloomy winter months upon us, especially here in the Midwest, we can all use more vitamin D.  Thankfully, we have innovative farms like Monterey Mushrooms who have teamed up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to replicate vitamin-D rich sunlight indoors for a much higher concentration of the vitamin normally found in mushrooms.  “Monterey Mushrooms is a national brand but is locally grown always.” - Lori Taylor. (8:08 - 8:11) Monterey Mushrooms has grown from a single farm in 1971 to producing mushrooms on nine farms across North America. Monterey Mushrooms strive to provide fresh, locally grown mushrooms to everyone’s favorite grocery stores and restaurants.  Lindsey Occhipinti is the marketing manager at Monterey Mushrooms. She has spent nearly a decade working in the fresh produce industry and specifically focused on mushrooms.  Monterey Mushrooms harvest a large variety of fresh mushrooms including White Button Portabellas, Oyster, Shitake, Brown beech, White beech, King Trumpet and Portabellini®.  All the mushroom varieties from Monterey Mushrooms can be used to make diverse and tasty meals in the kitchen, including meatless dishes. Mushrooms make a great side dish or topping to any meat. Lori suggests cooking them with garlic and shallots. You can reduce your salt intake by cooking with mushrooms. Mushrooms are versatile enough to compliment almost any meal that you craft.  Try introducing mushrooms to your family in creative ways by adding them to your family's favorite dishes. At home, Lindsey replaces a chicken breast with a portabella cap in her favorite chicken marsala recipe. Using Monterey Mushrooms will reduce your reliance on vitamin D supplements as mushrooms are a natural source.   “What we’re really trying to do is accomplish what's done out in nature. So in rough terms what happens in nature in 20 minutes, we have figured out how to do in about 20 seconds .” - Lindsey Occhipinti (14:27-14:43) The high vitamin D content of Monterey Mushrooms is produced from an expedited process where the Ergothioneine is  converted to vitamin D through a post-harvest process involving the exposure of the mushrooms during packaging to a precise wavelength of ultraviolet light.  Most Americans are not getting the necessary amount of vitamin D Vitamin D is essential for absorption in the body of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which helps to maintain bone strength.   Beyond being essential for bone health, vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in diabetes, colon, prostate, and breast cancer, hypertension, depression, multiple sclerosis and arthritis.  In general, vitamin D is critical to overall health and is a major contributor to the immune system. Unfortunately, dietary sources of vitamin D are limited to certain types of fish, animal livers and eggs and fortified foods.  Mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable that naturally contain vitamin D.  Now, through exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, Monterey Mushrooms can naturally increase the stable level of vitamin D within mushrooms to well above 50 percent of the FDA’s recommended daily value.   Monterey Mushrooms has made it easy for you to consume “high in vitamin D” mushrooms. Look for a vitamin D enhanced label found on select packages of Monterey Mushrooms’ white buttons, baby bellas, and portabella mushroom caps. Where can you buy these? We have you covered! Follow this link <a href="https://www.montereymushrooms.com/where-to-buy-high-vitamin-d-mushrooms" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://www.montereymushrooms.com/where-to-buy-high-vitamin-d-mushrooms</a> How to get involved <ul> <li>Join The Produce Moms Group on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and continue the discussion every week! </li> <li>Reach out to us - we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more <a>here</a>. </li> <li>Want to learn more about Monterey Mushrooms, then follow them on their website <a href="https://www.montereymushrooms.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</li> </ul> The Produce Moms Podcast is live on <a href="http://theproducemom.acemlnc.com/lt.php?s=1e89e82de689a842df6368f99f10ca68&amp;i=293A348A5A10492" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> iTunes</a>, <a href="http://theproducemom.acemlnc.com/lt.php?s=1e89e82de689a842df6368f99f10ca68&amp;i=293A348A5A10493" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>, <a href="http://theproducemom.acemlnc.com/lt.php?s=1e89e82de689a842df6368f99f10ca68&amp;i=293A348A5A10494" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://www.spotify.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>.  If you like what you are hearing on the podcast, reviews, subscriptions &amp; ratings will help us keep this going!  It would mean the world to hear your feedback, and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

EP81: High-Vitamin D Mushrooms with Lindsey Occhipinti 