Gregory B. Kelley, President and CEO
Gregg Kelley joined California Olive Ranch (COR) in 2006 as its chief financial officer and was promoted to his current position in November 2007. During his tenure, Kelley has led the company’s rapid expansion from a single ranch-and-mill operation to an entity that manages more than 8,000 acres of super high density (SHD) olive orchards and a burgeoning milling capacity. Under his leadership, COR has grown to produce over 40% of California’s certified extra virgin olive oil and to lead the world in the use of SHD cultivation and mechanized harvesting of olives.
Kelley is quickly becoming a leader in California olive oil industry as well as with California agriculture. With a diverse background with expertise in start-up management and experience in rapid growth, innovation-based businesses, Kelley brings a modern outlook to this industry with its traditional roots. Prior to his arrival at COR, he served as chief financial officer for high-growth public and privately-held Silicon Valley manufacturing and service-based businesses. His extensive experience includes work at IBM, Silicon Storage, Beyond Corp. and Zing Network. He has closed more than $300 million in public and private equity financings, established debt financings totaling more than $100 million, and completed worldwide acquisitions valued at more than $200 million.
A graduate from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, with a B.S. in business administration, Kelley serves on the board of the California Olive Oil Council and the advisory board at the UC Davis Olive Center.
Robert Zahn, Vice President of Operations
Robert Zahn joined California Olive Ranch (COR) in May 2009 as vice president of operations for the nation’s largest producer of extra virgin olive oil. He oversees all processing, packaging, inventory control, traffic, logistics, and quality control at the company’s mills and processing facilities.
With thirty years of operations leadership in both high-tech and traditional manufacturing, Zahn brings the combined knowledge and skills paramount to COR’s leadership team as it expands capacity and continues to lead the California olive oil renaissance. Prior to joining COR, Zahn served as director of manufacturing for The Wine Group, where he increased production and cut annual labor costs for the third largest winery in the world. Previous experience includes director of operations for Frank-Lin Distributors where he directed both strategic and tactical planning, reduced operating costs, and managed a $395.2 annual sales budget; and plant/operations manager for Bacardi Bottling Corporation where he launched seven new products and developed a forecasting and MRP II model. These positions provided extensive experience in sourcing, purchasing, market analysis, quality assurance, infrastructure design and new product development.
Zahn received his MBA from Jacksonville University and did further work in Global Management at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business Administration.
Claude S. Weiller, Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Claude Weiller joined California Olive Ranch (COR) in 2008, adding significant marketing and sales management experience and success in launching and growing brands in the consumer products industry. He has developed and expedited a rapid growth in sales and repositioned the company’s two largest business units for continued sustained and profitable growth.
Weiller is responsible for the development and implementation of sales and marketing strategies for both the company’s U.S. and international businesses. He applies his expertise to growing the company’s branded, club, bulk, private label, and food service units. In addition, Weiller also directs consumer and customer communications as well as public relations.
Before joining COR, Weiller co-founded and led two consumer packaged goods services companies, held sales and marketing positions at Procter & Gamble and Clorox, and served in senior leadership positions within the e-commerce sector. Weiller’s classic consumer products sales and marketing background, coupled with extensive experience growing young companies, make him particularly well suited for this innovative and fast-growing company.
Weiller graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis with a B.S. in mathematics.
Adam C. Englehardt, Vice President of Orchard Services
Adam Englehardt joined California Olive Ranch (COR) in May of 2008 to serve as director of orchard services. He was promoted to Vice President of Orchard Operations in January of 2010. His department manages the operation of several thousand acres of company-owned orchards and the orchards under contract through fruit supply agreements with partner growers.
Englehardt is a fifth-generation California farmer and rancher who grew up in the Livermore Valley, closely involved in family farming activities. Throughout his career he monitored and practiced agricultural innovation, with particular interest in the super high density (SHD) techniques that COR pioneered in California in the late 1990s. This background has given him an affinity for the combination of leading-edge technology and concern for traditional high quality that characterizes COR and its products.
Englehardt began his work in large-scale agriculture at the Hearst Corporation, an extensive farming and ranching operation with multiple locations throughout California. After several years with Hearst he returned to the Livermore area where he assisted in the expansion of a new olive mill and continued plantings for olive oil production.
Englehardt graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in agricultural business.