History of Our Management Team

Dr. Ronald D. Jones, CEO, and creator of Produce Magic Software was born in Provo, Utah, and grew up in Pocatello, Idaho. From his early years and throughout college, he worked alongside his father, a CPA in Idaho. Ron graduated from Brigham Young University first, then went to University of Nebraska and received his DDS. He began his post collegiate career as a Dentist first as a Lt. Commander in the Coast Guard.  His official duty was to cover the entire US Gulf Coast taking care of the soldiers' dental needs. Being the person he is, he took care of their entire families as well. This was well noted. He was offered a full Commander but was eager to start his business. Ron declined, finished his obligations, and started a journey that spans a great distance and variety of locations.  (We call him our Dr. 'Idaho' Jones). Ron became a Graduate Gemologist for his life-long love of diamonds, stones and rocks which also took him on many dangerous trips to his diamond placer claims on the Gold Coast of Africa during that period. At the same time, he owned a large Dentistry with 8 dental offices in Boise, Idaho, but soon found the passion and hunger for computers and programming instead, the proverbial ‘like water to a duck’.  He sold his dental practice and managed to learn COBOL by reading a book, essentially over the course of a weekend. Still a young man, he bought a chain of computer stores in Idaho in the late 1970's called Computer Concepts. After securing substantial banking contracts, he and his team, all certified technicians, installed extensive networks across Idaho. Drawing from his early experiences with his father, Dale, a CPA, and his extensive involvement with banking networks, Ron identified a significant demand for fresh produce accounting and produce traceability software. On a personal note, he  has 4 adult children and 7 grandchildren. Produce Magic Software's (PM) first version was in1980. In the next few years, picking up several large customers, the new PM was established and in place by 1983 in DOS and incorporated in 1986 as Advanced Technology Marketing, Inc. Produce Magic Software is our 

Brand, and now in our 38th year.   

Violet Kiss, Co-Owner, is a proud, first-born American born in Detroit, of Hungarian parentage, who were displaced aliens after WWII,  sponsored and became naturalized US citizens. Violet worked hard to learn the English language to enter 1st grade and became very proficient within the year.  She learned, listened and worked under her father's tutelage, a multi-degreed Electrical and Mechanical Engineer in their family-owned company, through, and after college, and before venturing out on her own. Her career began right after Oakland University at a large commercial bakery at the Produce Terminal in Detroit, named Farm Crest Bakeries, similar to today's Entenmann’s, in its day. Violet was hired as their Senior Cost Accountant extensively engaged in production and Bill of Materials costing. Motivated by these factors, she took the initiative to modernize and computerize the entire Cost Department's data, which involved 22 costing clerks. It took approximately 1.5 years in the early 1970’s with the towering 'Honeywells' doing only 4 bits per spool. In that era, Violet understood that to succeed, a woman had to forge her own path. Realized she could no further ascend within the company due to lack of equal pay, she decided to depart. After an 8-year tenure as a Senior Agent with The Equitable, now known as AXA, she went on to establish a general agency specializing in health and life insurance for corporate benefits. In addition, she started a manufacturing representatives' company,  collaborating with the Big 3 and Tier 1's in Detroit, specializing in hand tools, power tools, accessories, and fasteners—all OEM and made in America. She underwent intensive training in warehousing, Kaizen, the Deming Cycle (PDCA), and Six Sigma Black Belt.By the mid-1990s, she was very aware of the changing OEM market and its subsidiaries, M&As, Divestitures, along with her newest added-on business as a discrete upper C-level Retained Executive Recruiter, she knew firsthand there was going to be a major automotive bubble burst.  Knowing her business was going to be deeply affected, Violet moved west in 2000 and has been with Produce Magic Software ever since.  In addition to loving, raising, and educating her adult son with ASD, She has dedicated herself to volunteering, serving as President of non-profit organizations like the original non-political hospital ship, The Hope Ship, and leading a local Rotary Club for five years. She was also a Vice Chair of a town's Planning and Zoning Commission during this time. Her volunteerism included The Arthritis Foundation, Alternative for Girls, the YMCA's former Indian Guides, mentoring HS young ladies, and currently Special Olympics of Arizona and Scottsdale's Miracle League. Violet Kiss has recently entered 'semi'-retirement, yet remains readily accessible.

Darla P. Tashima is the Senior Manager over our Training and Support office in San Diego.  Her expertise in the produce industry and familiarity with Produce Magic Software become evident when you interact with her on the phone, during training sessions, and at live demonstrations.  She joined us at a young age in the late 1990s when her employer, The Green House—a prominent organic herb company and our client at the time—relocated out of California, and she chose not to move.  Darla served as their Product Manager, contributing to the early development of our Bill of Materials (BOM) features, along with various enhancements throughout the years within our Research & Development Department. With years of experience in our software, Darla is esteemed as a consultant-level manager. She has comprehensive knowledge of every aspect of our software and a deep understanding of product-related issues.

Our senior staff members possess extensive expertise in the Produce/Perishable Industries, having originated from within the industry itself, thus negating any need for 'learning curve' fees. We excel in recognizing the distinct challenges associated with Perishables. Just let us know the specific problems you're encountering, and we will show you how to solve them with Produce Magic Software. Should you require customization, we will provide a flat rate and a timeline for the completion of programming with an immediate launch. We utilize our proprietary programming language, Magic Software, a Microsoft Partner, which is an exceptionally potent Rapid Development platform. This allows us to develop programs in significantly less time than it would take to create equivalent programs in other languages. You can be confident in the swiftness and cost-effectiveness of our work. The overall time and pace of completion, from initiation to error-checking, are significantly lower than with conventional computer languages. We provide you with the new programs instantly, without any delay!   

Visit our Testimonials Page to discover what our long-term customers have to say about us (we're indeed flattered!).