ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:

Idaho Potato Commission, Eagle, Idaho
Traci Hiebert stepped in as new international marketing director, responsible for working with the organization’s international offices in Mexico, Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America, which help facilitate connections among Idaho potato shippers and foreign trading partners. She will also be responsible for creating and executing marketing promotion programs and offering ongoing marketing support.

PROCESSORS/RETAILERS:

Cargill, Minneapolis
Dr. Brooke Humphrey was named global technology director for pork. Humphrey joined Cargill in 2010 as a global technology leader, after being a professor for seven years at the University of Maryland and California Polytechnic State University. He brought with him an expertise in working across different species with a focus on nutritional immunology. In 2011, Humphrey assumed the role of R&D director for pork, poultry, ruminant, aqua, pet, equine and modeling. Most recently, Humphrey became the monogastric R&D director, leading the pork and aqua efforts as well as playing an essential role on the nutritional science team that works across Cargill’s animal nutrition and animal protein businesses.

Wegmans Food Markets, Rochester, N.Y.
Carl Salamone took on the newly created position of vice president of seafood sustainability, while Dave Wagner, a 25-year Wegmans veteran, was promoted to vice president of seafood merchandising.

Revelry Brands, Boulder, Colo.
The investment firm for the Icelandic Milk and Skyr Corp. (Siggi’s Yogurt) and EVOL Foods named Gil Fronzaglia as chief operating officer. Fronzaglia comes with a significant background in helping private equity-backed, high-growth companies successfully exit to strategics. He has been COO of Food Should Taste Good since 2007, and has served in various executive-level operations roles for natural products companies. Meanwhile, Seth Beers was appointed chief financial officer. Prior to joining Revelry, Beers was CFO and COO at PACT Apparel, where he helped raise over $4.5 million of growth equity, and previously, was an investment banker in the consumer products sector. Beers is an active angel investor for early-stage consumer businesses.

Sunrise Growers~Frozsun Foods, Placentia, Fla.
California Strawberry Commission executive Andrew Kramer was appointed to the newly created position of director of global field operations, responsible for helping the company expand its global presence, strengthen sourcing capabilities and enhance food safety and sustainability programs.

Valley Fruit & Produce, Los Angeles
Rick Paino was appointed sales manager, responsible for enforcing the company’s sales goals and working with the sales team to create strategies. Paino will also continue as the commodity manager for the apple and pear division.

Fonterra USA, Inc., Rosemont, Ill.
Maury Leyland, group director of strategy, will lead the New Zealand-based company’s Recovery Management Team, responsible for the ongoing operations of the precautionary recall. Leyland will also oversee the operational review announced by the CEO Theo Spierings. The operational review is separate to the one being conducted by the board of directors, but the findings will be shared directly with them. 

Mission Produce Inc., Oxnard, Calif.
Robb Bertels was named new director of strategic marketing. Bertels was formerly vice president and publishing director at Vance Publishing, and is a 25-year veteran of business-to-business communications in the produce industry.

SUPERVALU Inc., Eden Prairie, Minn.
Bruce Besanko was named executive vice president and CFO, effective Aug. 7. Besanko joins SUPERVALU after serving as executive vice president of finance, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer for OfficeMax, where he helped strengthen the company’s balance sheet and transform business-to-business and retail segments.

Quaker Maid Meats, Reading, Pa.
The manufacturer of Steak-Umm Sliced Steaks welcomed Mark Clausen as the new vice president of sales, responsible for both retail and foodservice sales, marketing, promotions and management of the entire sales force for all brands.

SUPPLIERS:

AFFLINK, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Scott LeCalsey will assume the role of strategic accounts director, responsible for driving new business for AFFLINK and its members through the organization’s government procurement offices. A 23-year veteran of the industry, LeCalsey brings with him a unique skill set that incorporates driving efficiencies in purchasing and supply chain processes with regulatory compliance and distribution strategy. Before coming on board at AFFLINK, LeCalsey has led sales, marketing and government initiatives at American Hotel Register, MSC International, Scott Paper, Bay West and Wilkinson Manufacturing, among others.

Cambridge International, Cambridge, Md.
Catherine Achey was named communications manager, responsible for strategically communicating all of the corporate brand messages through written and graphic communications while developing effective methods to attract and engage new audiences and keep current customers informed. Achey comes from Perdue Farms, where she served in communications, brand marketing and consumer promotions. John Belza was appointed chief financial officer. Belza brings a wealth of experience to his new role, with his most recent success as chief financial officer of Carat Security Group, where he led the company integration of the accounting and finance functions of subsidiaries and holding companies in Europe, Latin American, Middle East and United States.

Technical Help in Engineering and Marketing (T.H.E.M.), Marlton, N.J.
Tom Martin was named vice president of business development, responsible for introducing both new and future customers to the company’s expanding contract packaging capabilities. Martin brings more than 35 years of experience in contract packaging, automated equipment, labeling and decorating. Steve Strom was appointed senior executive of machinery sales. Strom brings more than 32 years of packaging machinery and design experience, covering a broad range of filling, packaging, labeling and decorating systems. Prior to joining T.H.E.M., he owned and operated an industrial machinery and equipment company, and served as general manager to a major packaging services firm. Lastly, Eric Hawley was name senior technical services manager, responsible for further enhancing and expanding the technical capabilities and services of the company. Hawley holds 20 years of technical service experience.

Adept Technology, Inc., Pleasanton, Calif.
Larry Anderson joins as vice president of mobile sales, responsible for executing the company's mobile robot strategy on a worldwide basis. He comes to Adept with more than 25 years of high tech sales and sales management experience, most recently as vice president of worldwide sales for Aehr Test Systems. Merrill Apter also joined as vice president of North American sales, responsible for driving sales in North America and expanding the company's distribution channels in Mexico and Canada. He maintains more than 20 years of sales, business development and marketing management experience in high technology, industrial OEM and capital equipment. Terry Hannon was named vice president of business development and corporate strategy, responsible for developing the company's long-term strategy and product roadmaps. Most recently, he served as president and CEO of NP Photonics, Inc. Hai Chang was promoted to vice president of Asia and strategic programs, where he oversees the company's operations in Asia, Oceania and South America.

Kingspan Insulated Panels North America, Deland, Fla.
Tom Kotiranta was named business development manager, responsible for promoting Kingspan systems to a variety of end-users, including building owners, designers and other organizations. Kotiranta has more than 12 years sales experience in the architectural/building products industry, and has represented multiple product lines for both interior and exterior applications across the West Coast.

Reiser, Canton, Mass.
Scott Scriven was appointed to the newly created position of senior vice president of sales and marketing. Scriven has broad knowledge of the food equipment industry on a global level, having focused his entire career in sales and sales management within that industry. For the past 14 years, he has served as president and CEO of Weber, Inc.

Stellar, Jacksonville, Fla.
Frank Freemanwas named senior mechanical engineer, responsible for managing design and development projects within the company’s mechanical engineering group. Freeman has extensive experience in both food and beverage and industrial applications, and most recently served as vice president, corporate development with a major mechanical contractor, developing projects in the industrial, food processing, commercial, healthcare and energy fields.