Endive World - Home of California Vegetable Specialties

Rich Collins was born in Sacramento, CA, in 1960. He attended Jesuit High School there before enrolling in the Agricultural and Managerial Economics program at the University of California, Davis, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1983.

Rich was a member of Class XXXI in the California Agricultural Leadership Program. He belongs to AGR, the national agricultural fraternity, where he is an alumni board member for the Phi Chapter at UC Davis. He is a member of Slow Food USA, and was an invitee to Terra Madre in October, 2004. Rich is also an active member of the St. James Catholic Church in Davis, where he has served on numerous committees and boards.

Rich and his wife Shelly have four children and reside in Davis, CA.

Jose Miguel Arias Lopez

Now retired, Jose was one of the founding partners of California Vegetable Specialties. A native of Tudela (Navarra) Spain, Jose attended Jesuit high school there before studying in Pamplona at the Escuela de Ingenieros Tecnicos Agricolas, the School of Technical Agricultural Engineering. In the mid-1960's, he worked for the Navarran Ministry of Agriculture, and then set out on his own as an agricultural consultant in the early 70's. Throughout his career, Jose maintained a private farm where he raised white asparagus, artichokes, pears, apples, and peaches.

Mike serves as President of Supherb Farms in Turlock, CA. He's a graduate of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Farm Management in 1976. Mike is also a graduate of Class XVII of the California Agricultural Leadership Program.

Born in 1950, Luc represents the fourth generation of Darbonnes involved in the family business. In 1974, he earned a degree in mechanical and electrical engineering. He holds the patent for inventing the IQF process for frozen herbs Luc is President of the Darome Group, Daregal, SA and Daregal, Inc., and serves as Chairman of California Vegetable Specialties and Supherb Farms. Luc is also a member of Board of Directors of the French Agricultural Association.