Tommy Wilkins, a veteran of the Texas produce trade whose career has traced the journey of fruits and vegetables from field to market for nearly five decades, has been named to the Texas Produce Hall of Fame, one of the industry’s highest honors, the Texas International Produce Association announced.
Wilkins, a Dallas-based director of sales and business development for Horton Fruit Company and a 1982 graduate of Texas Tech’s Department of Plant & Soil Science, will be inducted on Monday, Jan. 19, during a ceremony at the Mission Events Center in the Rio Grande Valley.
Established in 1988, the Texas Produce Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose work has had a lasting influence on the growth and stability of the produce industry across the state. The annual ceremony brings together growers, shippers, retailers and allied businesses to honor both long-standing leaders and emerging voices shaping the future of fresh food.
Wilkins entered the produce industry shortly after graduating from Texas Tech, beginning a career rooted as much in the soil as in the supply chain. Before moving into procurement and sales, he worked directly in the fields of West Texas, California and South Texas – experience that grounded his understanding of the challenges growers face, from unpredictable weather to the labor-intensive nature of farming.
That early exposure shaped his later work at United Supermarkets, where he spent many years as director of procurement. In that role, Wilkins served as a crucial intermediary between growers and retailers, building relationships based on trust while helping ensure that Texas communities had consistent access to fresh produce.
In 2023, he joined Horton Fruit Company, a business that has grown from its family-owned origins into a national operation offering services across the produce supply chain, including growing, sourcing, ripening, packing, processing and distribution for grocery, restaurant and food-service customers nationwide.
Beyond his professional roles, Wilkins has remained deeply involved in industry leadership and public service. He currently serves as executive chair of the Texas International Produce Association and has contributed to the Viva Fresh Produce Expo steering committee. His civic engagement includes membership on the boards of Make-A-Wish and the Southeast Produce Council, and four years on a U.S. Department of Agriculture advisory board.
CONTACT: Tracee Murph, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2802 or tracee.murph@ttu.edu
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