Longtime produce industry veteran Bert Boyd of Pretty Lady Vineyards in Delano, CA, died Feb. 12. He was 67 years old.

Mr. Boyd began his produce career at the age of 16. His mother decided it was time he went to work. She approached young Bert and informed him that she had gotten him a job as a bag boy at their local Piggly Wiggly in his home state of Illinois. He was soon promoted to the head of the produce department. From that point forward, he would go on to have a lifelong career in the produce industry. Mr. Boyd graduated from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor's degree in biology.

He worked for American Stores Co., an American public corporation that ran chains of supermarkets and drugstores throughout the United States. From 1973 to 2000 he worked as the company’s national manager for produce and floral procurement.

After his time with American Stores Co. and Albertsons Boise, ID, he was named vice president of produce/floral operations for Topco Associates. He would go on to serve Topco for five years, until 2006.

Mr. Boyd’s produce career would take him west to California. In 2007, he began working for Pretty Lady Vineyards, previously known as Sunlight International Sales Inc. For more than 11 years he worked for the firm, providing marketing for the company’s table grape brands.

“Bert Boyd was kind and gentle,” said Nick Dulcich, president of Pretty Lady Vineyards. “He was also a brilliant, hard-working man who had a sophisticated way with people that few possess. Bert was a great man who will be missed by all.”

"Bert was one of the first people I met in the produce industry over 40 years ago," said George Galloway, who is in the sales department at Pretty Lady Vineyards. "When he joined our team 11 years ago, I had the privilege to work shoulder-to-shoulder with someone who had a work ethic that was second to none. I am so proud to have called him my friend; he will be truly missed.”