ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:

International Refrigerated Transportation Association (IRTA), Alexandria, Va.
Chris Mnichowski, president and CEO of CTI Freight Systems, Inc., was elected as the 2013-2014 chairman of the board of directors. Jim Gray, marketing manager at K&J Trucking, was elected vice chairman, while Matt Luckas, vice president of supply chain services at Hanson Logistics, was elected treasurer. Newly-elected members of the board of directors include Jeremy Dailami (England Logistics), Dan Egan (Mode Cold), Robert Fay (Seminole Rail) and John Hickerson (FFE Transportation). The following members were re-elected to serve an additional term on the board: Steve Galati (Mattioni Ltd.), Todd Lanter (Henningsen Transportation Services) and Peter Skoufalos (Brown, Gavalas & Fromm).

International Association for Food Protection, Des Moines, Iowa
Dr. Donald Schaffner, professor in the food science department at Rutgers University, assumed the role of president. Schaffner’s research interests include quantitative microbial risk assessment and predictive food microbiology. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and abstracts. Schaffner is also the recipient of more than $5 million in grants and contracts, largely in the form of competitive grants.

The Freedonia Group, Cleveland, Ohio
The industry market research firm hired Joseph Pryweller as a senior industry analyst in the packaging group, responsible for directing multi-client studies and industry market research for packaging professionals with a team of analysts and contributing to the company’s custom research and focus reports divisions.

Petroleum Packaging Council, San Clemente, Calif.
Iris Thomas, product manager for CDF Corp.’s Cheertainer bag-in-box, was elected to the board of directors. Thomas’ term runs for three years with the option to renew for another three years. As a director, she will meet with the board of directors six to seven times a year to supervise, control and direct the affairs of the association; determine the association's policies within the limits of the bylaws or laws affecting PPC; actively pursue the association's purposes; and have discretion in the disbursement of the association's funds. Thomas has been an associate member of the PPC since 2009 and has served on the Long Range Planning Committee and as chair of the Packaging Committee.

PROCESSORS/RETAILERS:

2 Sisters Food Group, United Kingdom
Chris Walker was appointed chief operating officer of chilled, ambient and frozen, responsible for chilled, ready meals, biscuits, bakery and frozen trading divisions. He will retain his current remit for procurement and supply chain.

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Lake Success, N.Y.
Stephen Smith was appointed executive vice president and CFO, effective Sept. 3, following the retirement of Ira Lamel as chief financial officer, effective Aug. 31. Smith brings more than 30 years of financial leadership, having most recently been executive vice president and CFO of Elizabeth Arden, Inc.

Valley Fruit & Produce, Los Angeles
Robert Valero was named operations manager, responsible for the coordination of activities, procedures and policies at all of Valley’s produce warehouses and distribution facilities. Meanwhile, Gustavo Lasso de la Vega was appointed corporate credit manager, responsible for supervising and managing all credit functions across all company divisions, including continental sales, and for strengthening customer relationships while maintaining the highest quality possible of accounts receivable.

Chiquita Brands International, Inc., Charlotte, N.C.
Courtney Parker was appointed vice president of food safety and quality, responsible for Chiquita's Fresh Express salad quality assurance and quality control programs. Parker will also maintain a global responsibility to serve as Chiquita's primary liaison to regulatory agencies and other industry stakeholders, coordinating cross-functionally for the company's bananas and salads business units. Most recently, Parker served as head of quality assurance, food safety and regulatory affairs for Church Brothers and True Leaf Farms, and also acted as senior scientific advisor to their sister company, Gills Onions, providing the strategic vision and technical guidance for its quality, food safety and sanitary standards and practices.

Turkey Hill Dairy, Conestoga, Pa.
Quintin Frey, president, announced his resignation, effective Aug. 4. Under Frey’s leadership, the business nearly tripled in size. Frey also oversaw the construction and opening of the Turkey Hill Experience, Columbia, Pa., which pays homage to Turkey Hill’s history and acts as family vacation destination point.

Allen Harim, Seaford, Del.
Steven Evans was named chief executive officer, effective Sept. 3. Evans has more than 30 years of service in the poultry industry and brings to the company a wealth of knowledge, particularly in the sales and marketing functions and in general management. In his most recent assignment, Evans was senior vice president sales and supply chain optimization at Perdue Foods.

Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich.
Brad Davidson, president, elected to retire after three decades of service with the company. Paul Norman, president of Kellogg International, was appointed to the newly created role of chief growth officer, responsible for helping develop the company’s long-term category strategies, including driving scalable, consumer-driven, brand-building and breakthrough innovation. Norman has also been serving as president of Kellogg Europe on an interim basis. Chris Hood, who currently leads Kellogg Europe Snacks, will succeed Norman as president, Kellogg Europe. Hood joined Kellogg with the 2012 acquisition of Pringles and has a proven track record of building successful brands and retail partnerships, as well as driving product and supply chain innovation in the European, Asian and North American consumer product markets. All of these moves are effective Oct. 1.

Mondelez International, Deerfield, Ill.
Pradeep Pant, executive vice president and president, Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA), will retire at year-end. Timothy Cofer, who currently serves as executive vice president and president, Europe, will replace Pant. For more than 20 years, Cofer has successfully delivered strong business results across all of the company's categories. Since 2011, he has led the company's business in Europe, a complex $14 billion region that spans 33 countries. With the benefit of his operating discipline, people development skills and global experience, the European business delivered 14 consecutive quarters of growth while significantly improving margins, despite the region's worst recession in decades. Hubert Weber, president coffee, Europe, and leader of the company's global coffee category team, will succeed Cofer. With more than 25 years with the company, Weber brings a deep knowledge of the European business from both a country and category point of view. Since 2010, he has overseen the shift of the company's $3 billion European coffee category from a declining roast-and-ground business to a portfolio that's now centered on value-added on-demand products.

King & Prince Seafood, Brunswick, Ga.
Dr. Cindy Jacobs joined as director of corporate social responsibility and education, responsible for developing King and Prince’s corporate social responsibility policy and for communicating and implementing this policy both internally and externally. In addition, Jacobs will lead the company’s endeavors to create a professional, skilled and motivated workforce by engaging the local community. For the past three years, she worked as school improvement specialist for the Georgia Department of Education.

SUPPLIERS:

Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill.
Steve Fisher, vice president of the large power systems and growth markets division; Steve Larson, vice president of the parts distribution and diversified products division; and Bill Rohner, vice president of the electric power division, announced their retirements, effective Feb. 1, 2014. Tana Utley will replace Fisher as vice president of Caterpillar’s large power systems and growth markets division. And, Ramin Younessi was appointed vice president of industrial power systems and growth markets division, replacing Utley. Caterpillar also announced a realignment of parts of its reciprocating engine business to better align engine products with global customer requirements. Pablo Koziner will assume responsibilities for the newly realigned diversified products division. Steve Niehaus was appointed vice president of electric power division, replacing Rohner. Meanwhile, Mike DeWalt was named vice president of the newly created strategic services division, which includes strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, investor relations, economics, business risk management and competitive analysis. Jill Daugherty was named corporate controller, responsible for corporate accounting, forecasting and enterprise cost and business analysis.

JBT Corp., Chicago
Tom Giacomini will become president, CEO and a member of the board of directors, effective Sept. 9. Giacomini has more than 20 years of experience in industrial manufacturing, and has held a variety of senior leadership positions at Dover Corp. and Warn Industries, Inc. Charlie Cannon will remain executive chairman of the board. Ron Mambu announced plans to retire from his post as chief financial officer upon the identification of his successor.

Mettler-Toledo Safeline, Tampa, Fla.
Harry Seibert joined as head of sales for the United States. A seasoned sales executive with a diverse background of industrial business-to-business experience, Seibert comes from Polypore International, Inc., where he was vice president of global sales and business development for the Daramic lead-acid separator business.

TECSYS Inc., New York
Pedro Patraojoined as senior vice president global services to manage all aspects of TECSYS’ consulting, software implementations, custom enhancements and customer care services. Patrao brings more than 20 years of experience as an executive in leadership roles of services and enterprise software, as well as supply chain management. Most notably, 14 years with SAP in management roles of progressively-increasing responsibility, leading multiple teams in multiple line of businesses geographies.

IN MEMORIUM: John Menzies, The Terminal Corp.
John “Jock” Menzies, president of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) and principal of The Terminal Corp., passed away suddenly Aug. 17 in an accident at his home in Arnold, Md. He was 69.

"Jock's passing is a huge loss to our organization, to the industry and to thousands of us who considered him a friend," says Rick Blasgen, president and CEO of Council of Supply Chain Management Professional (CSCMP). "His leadership and tireless advocacy through his work with ALAN transformed the lives of countless individuals in their hour of need following a disaster. He was a kind and generous mentor, a noble ambassador for the profession, and most importantly, a leader who genuinely cared about others. Words cannot adequately express how deeply grieved we are to lose this selfless, brilliant and greatly admired man."

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Menzies name to ALAN, or mail your gift to CSCMP, 333 E. Butterfield Rd., Ste. 140, Lombard, IL 60148.

IN MEMORIUM: Rick Corman, R. J. Corman Railroad Group
Rick Corman, founder and owner of R. J. Corman Railroad Group, died at age 58 from his 12-year battle with multiple myeloma. Corman founded a railroad construction company in 1973, the same year he graduated from high school. Through his hands-on approach and exemplary customer service, he built his business into the R. J. Corman Railroad Group, a diversified railroad service provider that has more than 1,150 employees and operates in more than 21 states.

“Mr. Corman will be remembered for his character, energy, determination, generosity and vision,” says Craig King, president.

In lieu of flowers, friends may make donations to The Richard Corman Research Fund in Multiple Myeloma, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168.