A Wonderful way to run a company

The Wonderful Company, with operations on Highway 46 in Lost Hills, began in 1989 when Stewart and Lynda Resnick purchased Paramount Farms.

The company was formerly known as Roll Global and is currently a private corporation owned by the Resnicks.

"The Resnick's oversee everything in the company," Mark Carmel, Wonderful's senior director of corporate communications, said.

The Wonderful Company's headquarters is in Los Angeles, and some of its subsidiaries include Teleflora, POM Wonderful, Wonderful Citrus and Justin Wines.

"Wonderful Real Estate develops a variety of industrial properties for major retailers and distribution companies. The company is in the process of developing three business parks -- one is the Wonderful Industrial Park with 1,625 acres located in Shafter; North Meadows Business Park, which is 160 acres located northwest of Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield; and Crossroads Business Park, an 80-acre mixed-use park located in southwest Bakersfield.

Carmel added that there are several ag divisions, such as citrus, pistachios, almonds and pomegranates. "Our Wonderful Halos, mandarins, Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds and POM pomegranate juices are equally popular," Carmel said.

In addition to the agricultural component of the Wonderful Company, there is a real estate division as well as an educational component, with the Wonderful Company Charter School located in Lost Hills. In addition, they also provide students with the ability to take college courses while attending high school so they can obtain not only a high school diploma upon graduation, but also an AS degree in agriculture science

The Wonderful Company has a company philosophy of giving back to the communities in which they are located. They offer scholarships, grants and other financial incentives to qualified applicants.

In addition to the work environment at the Wonderful Company, they offer each employee $1,000 annually to give to a nonprofit of the employee's choice.

Also, employees volunteer in several community efforts when available.

In addition, the Wonderful Company invests time and energy into being a dedicated environmental leader within their communities. They efficiently control their water usage and continue to evaluate how they can lessen their impact while continuing to harvest nutritious snacks.

One of the ag divisions is the citrus division. They grow the Wonderful Halo mandarins, Wonderful Sweet Scarlets (Texas red grapefruit), lemons, limes and oranges.

According to their website, they are the largest integrated growers, packer and shipper of fresh citrus in the United States.

Not only does the Wonderful Company offer agricultural products, they also have an in-house, full-service advertising and communications agency.