NASSTRAC, an organization the provides education, advocacy and networking for professionals in all areas of transportation, recently named Dole Fresh Vegetables as 2007 NASSTRAC Shipper of the Year for its swift and decisive action in doing just that, according to SDCE.

Last year, Robert Engle, vice president of supply chain for Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc., found himself at the center of a health scare capturing national headlines. His response was to examine core competencies and control collateral damage, which ultimately earned Engle and Dole the award: "When the E. coli outbreak linked to California spinach was first discovered last year, we had to act quickly to make sure our house was in order. That event was a major wakeup call for all produce shippers. Even when your company is not involved, it's something that taints the whole industry."

Following last year's outbreak, Dole began looking at both inbound and outbound shipping operations for vulnerabilities and soft spots. Like other produce shippers, the Monterey, Calif.-based company was concerned about shipments that would arrive warm or product that might not hold up as well as desired. Engle examined the chain of custody and did extensive interviews with everyone in the network to ultimately identify potential failsafe strategies. Meanwhile, a new set of guidelines and regulations passed down by state and federal regulatory agencies was forcing produce shippers to make their supply chains more transparent.

For more information on this award-winning case study you can visit www.NASSTRAC.org.