Driscoll’s announced Tuesday that Brie Reiter Smith has been named chief executive officer of the Watsonville-based berry company, succeeding Soren Bjorn.
The company made the announcement in a press release, but stated there would be no further information released on the decision.
Smith, who has served as vice chair of Driscoll’s board of directors, assumes the position immediately. Bjorn will remain with the company during the transition and assist with strategic priorities, Driscoll’s said.
Smith is a member of the Reiter family whose roots in the berry industry stretch back generations. Her grandfather, Joe Reiter, was a co-founder of Driscoll’s.
She has held several positions with the company, including growing blueberries in Chile and overseeing quality and product leadership throughout the Americas. She has also served as a director on the company’s board.
“While I may not have followed the traditional path to this role, no one believes in our company’s mission more than me,” Smith said in a statement.
Smith also praised Bjorn for building what she called the strongest team the company has had.
“The berries we put on tables around the world are the same berries I feed my three young daughters every day,” she said. “I am honored to continue the tradition of positively impacting lives by operating with trustworthiness, passion and humility.”
Bjorn joined Driscoll’s in 2006 and held several leadership positions before being named CEO in 2023. During his roughly two decades with the company, he became a prominent figure in the produce and berry industries.
Driscoll’s Executive Chair Miles Reiter credited Bjorn with helping guide the company through years of growth and challenges.
“Soren’s intelligence, strength of character and commitment to Driscoll’s mission to ‘continually delight berry consumers through alignment with our customers and our berry growers’ have been a hallmark of his leadership throughout the various positions he has held,” Reiter said.
“We have had a lot of fun and been through plenty of challenges together,” he added.
Driscoll’s did not give a reason for the leadership change in its announcement.
Headquartered in Watsonville, Driscoll’s is one of the world’s largest berry companies, marketing strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries grown by independent growers in numerous countries.
