The people
behind the pride.

Bobby Parke

Secretary / Past-President

Robert Harry “Bobby” Parke helped carry the Parke family’s farming business into its next generation. The son of Roy and Helen Parke, he and Peggy continued and expanded the family operation, with their children later taking on leadership across operations, finance, and compliance. He now serves as Secretary and Past-President.

Read the family profile ↗

Peggy Parke

President

Peggy Morgan Parke brings decades of hands-on experience to Parkesdale Farms. A fifth-generation Floridian raised in a family involved in citrus and cattle, she joined the Parke family business when she married Bobby. Her work has spanned fieldwork, the office, shipping, and the family’s Florida Strawberry Festival booth. A 2023 profile celebrated her 50 years with the farm; she now serves as President.

Read Peggy’s 50-year feature ↗

Matt Parke

Vice President / Director of Operations

Robert Matthew “Matt” Parke leads farm operations as Vice President and Director of Operations. His work includes strawberries and blackberries, with experience navigating weather, labor, and growing challenges. He has worked with University of Florida researchers on blackberry production and received the Hillsborough County Harvest Awards’ Outstanding Young Farmer recognition in 2021.

Read about Matt’s growing work ↗
2021 Harvest Awards recognition ↗

Kristen Parke Hitchcock

Treasurer / Chief Financial Officer

Kristen Parke Hitchcock, MBA, CFRE, is a business leader and agricultural advocate whose work is rooted in family, faith, and service. She serves as Chief Financial Officer of Parkesdale Farms, Inc. and Parkesdale Packing & Cooling, Inc., part of her family’s multigenerational farming operation in Central Florida.

Appointed in 2026 to the Florida USDA Farm Service Agency State Committee, Kristen also serves on the Florida Strawberry Growers Association Board of Directors and Bank of Central Florida’s Plant City Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the UF/IFAS Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Kristen earned a bachelor’s degree in Interpersonal Communications from the University of South Florida and an MBA from Southeastern University. Her earlier career in nonprofit ministry and fundraising helped shape her commitment to serving others. Her community involvement includes One More Child, Casa David in Guatemala, the Florida Strawberry Festival, and her local church.

Read the USDA appointment announcement ↗
Plant City Advisory Board profile ↗

Erin Parke Watson

Assistant Secretary / Director of Compliance

Erin Parke Watson serves as Assistant Secretary and Director of Compliance, continuing the family business alongside her siblings. Her experience at Parkesdale includes food safety and compliance. In 2022, the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association selected her for Class 12 of its Emerging Leader Development Program, which develops agricultural leadership through industry education and farm visits.

Read the FFVA program announcement ↗

Josh Parke

Food Safety / HR Compliance Manager

Josh Parke serves as Food Safety and HR Compliance Manager, with a role focused on these two areas of the Parkesdale operation.

View the farm’s team directory ↗

Frances Montecillo

Accounts Payable Clerk

Frances Montecillo serves as Accounts Payable Clerk on Parkesdale’s office team.

View the farm’s team directory ↗

Manny Oliver

Shipping Manager

Rodrigo Pardo

Warehouse Manager

Javier Gonzalez

Assistant Shipping Manager

Gaines Alexander

Farm Supervisor

Rodrigo Mendoza

Assistant Farm Supervisor

Jerry Aguinaga

Equipment Maintenance Manager

Mario Martinez

Field Lead

Tony Lopez

Harvest Lead

Gary Parke

Maintenance Lead