Staff Bios
Steve Brazeel - Founder/President
A lifelong part of the produce industry, Steve was born and raised in Brawley, CA. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1992 with a Bachelor's of Science in Agriculture. Before founding SunTerra in 2000, Steve worked in various sales and management positions for Sun World International, Almquist Sales, The DiMare Co., and buyproduce.com. Steve is an active member of the Young President's Organization, and sits on the Board of Directors of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA). Steve resides on Balboa Island, CA with his wife Casey, and their children, Cassidy, Claire, Connor, and Charlie
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: The Godfather II
Favorite cereal: Cap'n Crunch...or Grape Nuts
Favorite SunTerra product: Watermelons & Sweet Corn
Favorite music band/artist: Van Morrison / The Eagles
Describe your perfect day: Watching a live football game with family and friends
Favorite sports team: Cal Berkeley Football, Los Angeles Chargers, and Arizona Football
Favorite hobby: Any time spent with family and friends
First car: '56 Chevy
Don Beucke - Sales
Don is from Phoenix, Arizona. He attended Phoenix Junior College and has been in the produce business for over 30 years. He is married and has two daughters, one son, and one granddaughter.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: The Hangover
Favorite cereal: Raisin Bran
Favorite SunTerra product: All of them!
Favorite music band/artist: The Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney
Describe your perfect day: A day with my wife and son at the AT&T Baseball Park, watching the game with a cold beer and a hotdog
Favorite sports team: The San Francisco Giants
Favorite hobby: Hiking
First car: 1964 Ford Falcon Sprint
Rich Bolterman - Sales
Rich Bolterman, from Arroyo Grande, CA is an Ag Business graduate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He started his career working for a grape shipper in 1994 and in the Salinas Valley for a mix veg supplier. After marrying his wife Emma in 1998 they moved to Dallas where he was employed with Fresh America Corp. and Standard Fruit & Vegetable. Rich joined SunTerra in 2011. He has 3 children, Cole, Connor, and Cooper.
Fun Facts
Movie: Tombstone/Saving Private Ryan
Cereal: Life
SunTerra Product: Corn
Music Band/Artist: The Smiths
Perfect Day: Waking up in Jackson Hole with my family. Fly fishing in the am with my sons and my Dad. Afternoon on the ski slopes with wife and kids. Evening dinner and drinks by the fire. Kids are with grandparents. The night is ours. Did I mention the six winning numbers that we discovered in the afternoon!!!! BOOM!!
Sports Team: UT Longhorn Football/Cal Poly SLO baseball/football
Hobby: Outdoor Grilling/BBQing/Red Wine/following Cal Poly SLO sports
First Car: 1970 Chevy Fleetside 4x4 truck
Cynthia Garibay - Administration
Cynthia is from Coachella, CA, and graduated from Coachella Valley High School. She and her husband Eduardo "Lalo" have three children, as well as four grandchildren.
Fun Facts
Favorite SunTerra product: Green Onions, Watermelon and Corn
Describe your perfect day: My perfect day is when God allows me to wake up in the morning.
Favorite sports team: Dallas Cowboys
Mike Guerra - Sales
Mike is from Dallas, TX and has been in the produce industry since 2007.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: Nacho Libre
Favorite breakfast: Bean and egg taco with spicy salsa
Favorite SunTerra product: Corn and watermelons
Favorite music band/artist: Country,tejano,rock and pop en espanol
Describe your perfect day: Sunny, 95 degrees, on the lake with friends, family and an ice cold bud light
Favorite sports team: Dallas Cowboys
Favorite hobby: Lakin' and golfin'
First car: 72 Mustang
Amy Hall - Administration
Amy is from Tillson, New York. She graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts from California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, California, and worked as a chef until joining the SunTerra team in 2005. She now lives in Indio, California with her husband, Tim, and their four cats.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: The Wizard of Oz
Favorite cereal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Favorite SunTerra product: Watermelon
Favorite music band/artist: Dave Matthews Band
Describe your perfect day: Either blue sky, 75 degrees, backpacking through the wilderness, or a lazy Sunday hanging out at home with Tim making breakfast.
Favorite sports team: The New York Yankees
Favorite hobby: Backpacking
First car: A green Volkswagen Rabbit
Namath Haller - Sales
Namath is from Imperial, California. He graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Agribusiness Marketing in 1993. Before joining SunTerra, Namath worked with Safeway, Black Dog Farms, and L&M Companies. He is happily married to his wife Ember "Da Bae" Haller, and has four daughters - Brielle, Brooklyn, Brea, and Jerryca.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: The Wolf of Wall Street
Favorite cereal: Wheaties - Breakfast of Champions
Favorite SunTerra product: Sweet Corn
Favorite music band/artist: Violent Femmes
Describe your perfect day: Wine tasting on the Central Coast with "Da Bae"
Favorite sports team: Los Angeles Chargers
Favorite hobby: Golfing and enjoying a nice bottle of red wine
First car: 1970 slammed V-Dub Beetle
Clarissa Hernandez - Administration
Clarissa is a Santa Ana, CA native and Saddleback High School graduate with a background in accounting and debt collections. She is also the mother to the best kid in the world named Isaac!
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: Back to the Future Pt 2
Favorite breakfast: Leftover Pizza
Favorite SunTerra product: Watermelons and Corn
Favorite music band/artist: Coldplay
Describe your perfect day: A cold winter day, going to the grocery store with a stack of coupons in my hand and walking out with over $100 of free merchandise followed by a day out with my son.
Favorite sports team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Favorite hobby: Any time spent with my son, scrap-booking, couponing, binging TV shows on Netflix, singing in the car and working out.
First car: 2014 Toyota Corolla (car I still own)
Susie Lacy - Sales
Susie, from Longview, Texas, is a graduate from Pine Tree High School. She had worked in the restaurant business and produce sales before joining SunTerra.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: Pulp Fiction
Favorite cereal: Corn Pops
Favorite music band/artist: Fleetwood Mac
Describe your perfect day: A day at the beach
Favorite sports team: The Texas Rangers
Favorite hobby: Fishing
First car: Toyota Celica
Manuel Leyva - Grower Relations
Manuel is from Mexicali, Mexico, and currently lives in Calexico with his wife Maria. They have two sons named Jesse and Henry. Before joining SunTerra as a Harvest Manager in 2006, Manuel previously worked as a Harvest Manager for Mario Saikhon Co. for 20 years, and in Grower Relations for L&M Companies for six years.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: The Godfather
Favorite cereal: Oatmeal
Favorite SunTerra product: Watermelon
Favorite music band/artist: The Beatles
Favorite sports team: The Dallas Cowboys
Favorite hobby: Spending time at the beach
First car: 1959 Buick
Joe McCarthy - Sales
Joe is from Newport Beach, California. He graduated from Princeton University and has worked with SunTerra since 2004. He currently resides with his wife, 2 sons (8 and 3 years old), and his daughter (6 years old).
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: The Usual Suspects
Favorite cereal: Honey-Nut Cheerios
Favorite SunTerra product: Iceberg Lettuce
Favorite music band/artist: Iron Maiden
Describe your perfect day: A day participating in the Manhattan Beach 6 Man Beach Volleyball Tournament.
Favorite sports team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Favorite hobby: Beach Volleyball
First car: Jeep Cherokee
Tommy McCloskey - Sales
Tommy grew up in Auburn, Washington, and graduated from Auburn High School in 1996. He previously worked with Adam Bros. Produce Sales, Inc., Sun Coast Farms, Agro-Jal, and Laguna Produce Sales before joining SunTerra. He currently lives in Santa Maria, California, with his wife, Shauna, and four children: Jakob, Emma, Lucy, and Charlotte.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: The Godfather or Straight Outta Compton
Favorite cereal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Favorite SunTerra product: Green Onions; Raw or grilled they make a great addition to any meal!
Favorite music band/artist: Led Zeppelin, Dr. Dre, and Blake Shelton
Describe your perfect day: Sitting on the beach with Shauna with our toes in the sand while the kids play in the water!
Favorite ports team: Super Bowl 48 Champions; The Seattle Seahawks
Favorite hobby: Golf
First car: 1988 Isuzu Impulse
Stacy Nunez - Administration
Stacy is from Yuma, Arizona. She attended Yuma High School as well as Imperial Valley College. Before joining SunTerra in 2002, she worked with 4M Farms, Inc. She has been happily married to her husband David for 27 years.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: Forrest Gump or Beaches
Favorite cereal: Frosted Flakes
Favorite SunTerra product: Sweet Corn
Favorite music band/artist: Adele
Describe your perfect day: Bike riding on Mission Beach
Favorite sports team: Oakland Raiders
Favorite hobby: Coloring
First car: Baja Bug
Adriana Quintana - Administration
Adriana is from San Juan Capistrano, California. She went to Mission Viejo High School and is certified in Legal Translations and Interpretations. She previously worked as an Eligibility Worker for the public sector of San Bernardino County and also as an accountant for a drywall company. She is married with a family of four.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: Legally Blonde and Django Unchained
Favorite cereal: Oatmeal
Favorite SunTerra product: Corn
Favorite music band/artist: Cafe Tacvba, Mana, Juanes, and Beyonce
Describe your perfect day: Breakfast at Mimi's Cafe and spending the whole day at Disneyland with my family.
Favorite sports team: Green Bay Packers
Favorite hobby: Running and baking cakes
First car: 2002 Hyundai
Rosie Romero - Administration
Rosie was born in Lakewood, CA and moved to Brawley, CA when she was four. She has Assoiciates degree in Business from Imperial Valley College. She previously worked for Desert Express and Valencia Bros., Inc. Rosie is happily married with five children, Saydee, Haylee, Robert, Luke, and Olivia.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: The Notebook
Favorite cereal: Honey Bunches of Oats
Favorite SunTerra product: Corn
Favorite music band/artist: Luke Bryan
Describe your perfect day: on a beach in 80 degree weather with my husband no cell phones no electronics....no worries.
Favorite sports team: Oakland Raiders
Favorite hobby: Depends on the season. Wrestling mom, Football mom & Cheer
coach.
First car: 1997 White Nissan Sentra
Dean Sakasegawa - Sales
Dean is from Salinas, CA. He graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and then worked in farming, sales, and brokerage before joining SunTerra. He and his wife, Michelle, have three sons: Jeremy, Michael, and Karl.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: Rudy
Favorite cereal: Cheerios
Favorite SunTerra product: All
Favorite music band/artist: Elvis Costello
Describe your perfect day: Spending the day in Costa Rica
Favorite sports team: SF Giants
Favorite hobby: Golf
First car: 850 Fiat Coupe
Stephen Seabolt - Mexico Field Operations
Stephen is from Brawley, California. He graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor's of Arts in International Business in 1996 as well as Universidad de Almería with a Diplomado Internacional en Horticultura Protegida in 2011. He previously worked with Boskovich Farms of Oxnard, CA before joining SunTerra in 2003.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: Slap Shot
Favorite cereal: McCann's Steel-Cut Irish Oatmeal loaded up with fruit, nuts, and some brown sugar
Favorite SunTerra product: Grapes
Favorite music band/artist: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Describe your perfect day: Lunch at Mary Mac's Tea Room followed by some great College Football with my family.
Favorite sports team: USA Track and Field
Favorite hobby: Working with my dogs
First car: A Navajo Tan and India Ivory White '55 Chevy, which I still own.
Jim Schmidt - Sales
Jim, from Bend, Oregon, graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1991. He worked with Sun World International from 1992 until 2009, when he joined SunTerra. He currently resides with his wife Laura, and their two children, Nic (16) and Kendall (14) in La Quinta, California.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: Best in Show
Favorite cereal: Golden Grahams
Favorite SunTerra product: Watermelon
Favorite music band/artist: Led Zeppelin
Describe your perfect day: Selling a lot of watermelon and customers calling me to say how beautiful they look!
Favorite sports team: Oregon Ducks and Minnesota Vikings
Favorite hobby: Drinking red wine on the patio next to a real wood fire.
First car: Karmann Ghia
Vince Viloria - Sales
Vince was born and raised in the Imperial Valley of California and currently lives in Imperial with his 2 teenage sons. Vince has an A.S. in General Business from Imperial Valley College and has held various sales positions with companies including Amerifresh, Black Dog Farms, ATB Packing, and L&M Companies.
Fun Facts
Favorite movie: The Godfather/Bronx Tale
Favorite cereal: Oatmeal
Favorite SunTerra product: All of them!
Favorite music band/artist: Led Zeppelin
Describe your perfect day: A round of Golf at Pebble Beach, followed by a Raiders win!
Favorite sports team: The Oakland Raiders!
Favorite hobby: Golf!
First car: 1971 Datsun Pickup