ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:

The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C.
Julia Kadison was promoted to chief executive officer. Kadison previously held the position was interim CEO and vice president of marketing. Since joining MilkPEP in 2006, Kadison has spearheaded several successful marketing campaigns. Most recently, she directed the development of the industry’s new “Milk Life" campaign, which spotlights milk's high-quality protein, and the launch of the Great American Milk Drive, which raises awareness of the need for milk donations in the nation’s feeding programs. Kadison also oversaw the industry’s entrance into the sports recovery market with the “BUILT WITH CHOCOLATE MILK” campaign, which touts the science-backed, post-exercise recovery benefits of chocolate milk.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, Washington, D.C.
Linda Bauer Darrwas appointed president, succeeding Richard Timmons, who is retiring at the end of 2014. Darr is currently the president and CEO of the American Moving and Storage Association, and has held senior positions in the American Bus Association and the American Trucking Associations. From 1998-2000, she served in the Clinton Administration as the deputy assistant secretary for budget and programs at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

PROCESSORS/RETAILERS:

Sysco Corp., Houston, Texas
Upon the completion of its proposed merger with US Foods, several senior-level executives were named. Tom Bené will lead all of Sysco's domestic and international operations. Scott Charlton will lead end-to-end supply chain operations, which includes warehousing, inbound and outbound transportation and replenishment. Chris Kreidler will lead the finance function, which includes treasury, accounting and investor relations, as well as the integration activities of Sysco and US Foods. Russell Libby will lead corporate affairs, including legal, government relations and communications, business development, enterprise risk management, compliance, corporate social responsibility and workplace safety. Paul Moskowitz will lead human resources, including talent management, talent acquisition, payroll and labor relations. Pietro Satriano will lead merchandising and marketing, which includes product development and innovation, food safety and quality assurance. Stuart Schuette, a 23-year industry veteran and long-time US Foods executive, will lead sales, which includes restaurants, healthcare, travel and leisure and foodservice management. He will also lead the establishment of a sales development and strategy function for the business and collaborate closely with Bené to effectively transition US Foods' operations and customer base to Sysco. Wayne Shurts will lead business technology, which includes developing the technology and systems vital to integrate Sysco and US Foods. He will also continue to oversee the deployment of Sysco's enterprise platform and develop additional customer-facing business solutions.

FOODSERVICE:

Panera Bread Co., St. Louis
Roger Matthews, executive vice president and CFO, resigned to pursue other opportunities. Effective Aug. 6, Bill Moreton, executive vice chairman, will serve as interim CFO. Matthews will transition his remaining duties through the end of August.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., Atlanta
Ralph Bower, president-U.S., resigned effective Aug. 8 to accept a new position. Cheryl Bachelder, chief executive officer, will oversee Bower's responsibilities during the transition.

SUPPLIERS:

Spartan Motors, Charlotte, Mich.
Daryl Adams was appointed chief operating officer, effective Aug. 11. Adams was most recently chief executive officer of Midway Products Group, and has held a succession of management positions with Lear Corp. His experience includes senior leadership roles in Lear's North American and European operation. 

Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL), UK
Dr. Alex Blanchard joined as senior group leader of microscopy, responsible for using microscopy techniques for projects in new product development, understanding the link between microstructure and function, troubleshooting food safety issues and identifying foreign bodies. Blanchard was previously group analytical and microbiology manager at Rentokil Initial. Prior to that, he led Procter & Gamble's European microbiology department, where he oversaw microbiology risk management. He was also global microbiology leader for visualization and demos using the latest microscopy capabilities.

Liqui-Box Corp., Richmond, Va.
Greg Gard will serve as the senior vice president of research and development. Gard brings more than 25 years of experience in the packaging industry. He formerly served in research and development and operational excellence leadership roles with Cryovac, CT Film, Huntsman Packaging, Pliant Corp. and most recently as the vice president of product development within the flexible packaging division of Berry Plastics. Meanwhile, Anthony Rizzo will serve as the senior vice president of sales. Rizzo maintains more than 15 years of leadership experience in key sales and marketing positions with Alcan Packaging, Hilex Poly, National Envelope and most recently as the executive vice president of sales and marketing at Constar International.

Eurofins Scientific, Des Moines, Iowa
Gary Smith was named director of food safety systems, responsible for leading the strategic development and oversight of the food safety systems division, including auditing, certification and training programs. Smith brings over 20 years of industry experience. Previous positions include director of training and improvement solutions at SAI Global, vice president of supply chain at Steritech and technical director at the SQF Institute.