TheAmerican Frozen Food Institute(AFFI) said it elected four officers and seven members to AFFI's board of directors. The elections took place in San Francisco during's AFFI's Annual Meeting (in conjunction with the 2011 AFFI Frozen Food Convention). In other news, The Distinguished Order of Zerocrats said it named two industry leaders to theFrozen Food Hall of Fameand welcomed six new members.

AFFI 's new officers are:Mark Dunn, J.R. Simplot Co., as chairman;George Smith, NORPAC Foods, Inc., as first vice chairman;Ricardo J. Alvarez, Frozen Specialties, as second vice chairman; andEdward R. Flanagan, Jasper Wyman & Son, Inc., as immediate past chairman. 

AFFI said its seven new board members include Bob Ashmun, National Frozen Foods Corp.; Peter Cokinos of Little Lady Foods, Inc.; Andy Dahlen, General Mills, Inc.; Stan Firestone, Firestone Pacific Foods; Brian Folkerts, Kraft Foods; Bobby Ray, Allens, Inc.; and Dave Yanda, Lakeside Foods, Inc.

Named to the Frozen Food Hall of Fame were the lateRobert D. Burris, Burris Logistics, andA. “Ray” Walker, Patterson Vegetable Company.  The Distinguished Order of Zerocrats held also its meeting during the 2011 American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) Frozen Food Convention in San Francisco.

About Robert Burris

Robert D. Burris began working for the family business at the age 12.  He joined Burris Logistics on a full-time basis in 1966 following his graduation from the University of Delaware.  In 1980, Mr. Burris became president of Burris Logistics, which today operates 17 distribution centers and a fleet of refrigerated transportation equipment throughout the Eastern United States.  Mr. Burris also served on the board of directors of the then National Frozen Food Association from 1977 to 1982.  He and his wife, Susan, have three children and eight grandchildren.  Mr. Burris died Sept. 19, 2010, after a lengthy battle with cancer.

About Ray Walker
A. “Ray” Walker has dedicated the last 40 years of his career to the frozen food industry, having represented the industry in a variety of capacities.  In 1985, he joined Patterson Frozen Foods as vice president of sales, and in 2000 was named chief executive officer.  Walker became a member of Patterson’s board of directors following the sale of Patterson Frozen Foods to Patterson Vegetable Company.
Walker has also served on the boards of the California League of Food Processors and the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), and was AFFI chairman in 2009.  He and his wife, Remo, have three children and nine grandchildren.

The Distinguished Order of Zerocrats is an organization of industry leaders whose mission is to promote the image and advancement of the frozen food industry. The group also recently welcomed six new members. 

 2011 Distinguished Order of Zerocrats inductees are:  Mark Dunn, J.R. Simplot Co.; Wesley Eubanks, The Pictsweet Company; Robert Garfield, Safe Quality Food Institute; David Harlan, United States Cold Storage; Janice Scott, Commercial Cold Storage; and George Smith, NORPAC Foods, Inc.