“Distributor” means any person who engages in the operation of selling, marketing, or distributing kiwifruit which he has produced or purchased or acquired from a producer, or which he is marketing on behalf of a producer, whether as owner, agent, employee, broker, or otherwise. When the distributor is a corporation, all of the directors and officers of the corporation in their capacity as individuals shall be included, and any liability for failure to collect or make payment of assessments of which a corporate distributor may be subject pursuant to this chapter shall include identical liability upon each individual director or officer of the corporation. It does not, however, include a retailer, except a retailer who purchases or acquires from, or handles on behalf of any producer, kiwifruit which was not previously subject to assessment by the commission.