John is the founding member of Initiative Foods.  His background is in food marketing and manufacturing working  for such firms as Procter & Gamble, Nabisco and Novartis (Gerber Products) prior to starting Initiative.  John  can be reached at 559-875-3354 x113 or via email.

Pa houa joined the company in 2007 and can handle most questions or requests. When you’re ready to begin developing your packaging label, Pa houa can get you through the maze of regulations and requirements quickly and efficiently. Pa houa can be reached at 559-875-3354 x110 or via email.

Bill joined the company in 2008 and heads our Sales efforts. Bill has worked for many food and beverage manufacturers including Pepsi, Coke, and Wawona Frozen Fruits. Bill can get your program started and will help you choose the right products based on mom’s needs. Bill can be reached at 559-875-3354 x107 or via email.

Karen started her sales career with Kraft Foods. Since 1998, her primary focus has been baby food including 8 years with Novartis (Gerber Products) followed by nearly 3 yrs at Beech-Nut. Customers are welcome to utilize Karen as a resource in growing total baby food sales, especially opportunities presented by recent changes in the WIC program. She can be reached at 925-285-4669 or via email.

Shiela  is one of the founding employees at the company and has 30+ years of experience in food manufacturing and warehousing.  Shiela will become your key interface on many logistical issues. Shiela knows pretty much all that goes on at the Plant and can keep you informed on seasonal availability, production scheduling and timing of shipments. Shiela can be reached at 559-875-3354 x112 or via email.

Merisha Linhares joined the company in 2009 and heads our Quality and Food Safety efforts. Merisha is a graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science and Food Science major. Merisha also holds a number of certificates including Better Process Control School, HAACP, Thermal Processing and SQF. Merisha insures all products are safe for our babies and maintains the quality attributes of your baby food at the highest standard Merisha. Merisha can be reached at 559-875-3354 x103.

Marvin is the Production Manager and handles the production from the point the raw materials arrive, until it is labeled and ready for shipment. Marvin makes certain that the fruit and vegetables are at their prime, then works with production planning to have them made into baby food. He schedules all aspects of the plant including the final production and the team responsible for that production. Marvin has his certificate for Better Process Control School . Marvin can be reached at 559-875-3354 x108 or via e mail.

Scott joined the company in 2009 and heads our Finance efforts. Scott previously worked in the field of public accounting and is a CPA. Scott works with our customers to generate the proper selection of recipes to meet their pricing needs. Scott can be reached at 559-875-3354 x116 or via email.

David Maldonado joined the company in 2010 and heads our Production department efforts. David has worked for Glacier Foods, JR Wood, and Initiative Foods. David's expertise is in the kitchen, making the best baby food available. David can be reached at 559-875-3354 x119.

Peggy is the supervisor responsible for the thermal processing of the baby food. She and her team make sure all baby food is commercially sterile and shelf stable. Peggy's background is in Quality Control and is both Better Process Control trained and holds a retort license. Peggy can be reached at 559-875-3354 x150 or via e-mail.

Jennifer joined the company in 2006 and heads our Casing/Packaging efforts. Jennifer has held various positions in quality at Initiative Foods and Olive Garden. Jennifer heads our efforts in the labeling and casing area, making sure each jar of baby food looks perfect. Jennifer can be reached at (559) 875-3354 x120 or via email.

Francisco is responsible for maintenance and repairs on the equipment. Francisco and his team prepare the equipment each morning and make certain its working properly throughout the day. Francisco's team is focused on making certain the equipment meets our standards for food safety and quality. Francisco can be reached at 559-875-3354 x104

Ted is the supervisor responsible for the facilities. Ted handles all improvements and repairs within the facility. On any given day, you might find Ted improving the employee break room or adding new machinery into the plant. Ted can be reached at 559-875-3354 x109 or via e-mail.

Ruben joined the company in 2009 and heads Sanitation efforts. Ruben has worked for Ruiz foods and Harris Ranch Beef in sanitation prior to joining Initiative Foods. After each run, Ruben and his team cleans and sanitizes the entire factory until each piece of equipment is clean. Ruben and his team then test to be sure no bacteria are left behind. Ruben can be reached at 559-875-3354 x101.