Steve Nugent
Steve Nugent has served as chief operating officer of Graceland Fruit, Inc., since the position was created in 2003. As COO, he has championed Graceland’s commitment to growth, helping posture the company as the world’s largest producer of infused dried fruit and vegetable ingredients. He has administered several major expansion projects, some which garnered the attention of the Michigan Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Innovation Fund.
He joined Graceland Fruit in 1995 as vice president of Sales and Marketing, and through 2002 was directly responsible for oversight of in-house marketing, customer service, research and development, and logistics functions, as well as oversight of domestic and international field sales representatives. During this time, revenues grew from approximately $5 million in 1995 to over $30 million. An export program that went into effect in 1997 under his leadership resulted in approximately 20 percent of revenues coming from Asia, Western Europe and Canada.
Mr. Nugent is a cum laude graduate of Michigan Technological University with a bachelor's degree in business administration. His career experience includes software system integration and management, as well as software development. He is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC), and the Northwest Michigan Workforce Development Board.
He is very active in the community, volunteering approximately 200 hours annually in youth sporting activities, including serving as vice president of a local registered 501 ©(3) youth sports boosters organization.
