ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:

The United Family, Lubbock, Texas
Joseph Bunting was promoted to produce director, taking over for long-time produce director Darvel Kirby, who retired, effective Feb. 28. Bunting has been with The United Family for 22 years, first as produce supervisor, then as produce director for the past 12 years.

American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), McLean, Va.
Dr. Sanjay Gummalla was appointed new vice president of regulatory and technical affairs, responsible for helping frozen food and beverage producers and distributors influence the development, understanding and compliance of domestic and international food quality, safety, labeling and production standards and requirements. Gummalla most recently served as vice president of product development for Zentis North America, and held senior positions at Givaudan Inc. and Cargill Flavor Systems. In addition, Rishi Banerjee was promoted to director of regulatory and technical affairs.  Banerjee joined AFFI in April 2013, and has been serving as manager of regulatory and technical affairs.  Before coming to AFFI, Banerjee worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Environmental Microbial Food Safety Lab.

North Carolina State Ports Authority, Wilmington, N.C.
Lance Kenworthy was named to the position of director, bulk and breakbulk, accountable for the development and implementation of key strategies designed to increase bulk and breakbulk cargo volumes and revenues through the Ports of Wilmington and Morehead City. He will also supervise and direct the activities of account executives, as they support cargo growth implementation strategies. Kenworthy has been with the authority for nine years.

PROCESSORS/RETAILERS/DISTRIBUTORS:

Smithfield Foods, Inc., Smithfield, Va.
The company announced a realignment of its organization and key senior management appointments to unify all independent operating companies, brands, marketing and the more than 48,000 global employees under one corporate umbrella. For example, Kenneth Sullivan will assume the role of executive vice president in addition to his current role as Smithfield's chief financial officer, overseeing consolidated finance, administrative and support services. Sullivan was named chief financial officer in 2013, after having served as vice president of finance from 2010-2013, chief accounting officer from 2007-2013 and vice president of internal audit from 2003-2007.Prior to joining Smithfield, Sullivan spent 12 years at large public accounting and consulting firms serving a variety of clients in the manufacturing, technology and government contracting sectors. Joseph Sebring was appointed president, packaged meats division, bringing more than 36 years of meat industry experience. He most recently served as president of Smithfield's John Morrell Food Group, which he joined in May 1994. From 1992-1994, he served as president and CEO of Indiana Packers, and from 1974-1992, he served as executive vice president for Fresh Mark Meat Products, Inc. Scott Saunders was promoted to president, fresh pork division. Saunders, who maintains nearly 30 years of experience in the food industry, was previously chief financial officer of Smithfield's John Morrell Food Group. From 1992-2002, he served in roles spanning cost manager to chief financial officer at Indiana Packers Corp. Saunders began his career at Hormel Foods Corp. in 1986. Gregg Schmidt will continue to lead Murphy-Brown LLC, the livestock production subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, as president, hog production division. Schmidt assumed leadership of all of its North American swine production operations in 2013, after having served as president of Murphy-Brown East Production Operations from 2011-2013 and president of the international division from 2002-2011. Prior to the merger with Murphy-Brown, Schmidt served as vice president of production for Carroll's Foods from 1991-2001 and as nutritionist for Carroll's Foods' Swine and Turkey Departments from 1986-1991. Schmidt began his than 30-plus-year career in agriculture with Vigortone Ag Products and Jaindl Turkey Farms. Darek Nowakowski will continue as president of Smithfield Europe, responsible for all of the company's wholly owned investments in Europe, which compose the majority of the international division. Nowakowski's experience in the food industry spans more than 30 years. He joined Smithfield in 2006 as president of Animex, a Poland-based producer of packaged and fresh meats. Prior to joining Smithfield, he held a variety of management positions in the United States and Canada, including president and CEO of Humpty Dumpty Snack Foods, general manager of Fresh Pork for Maple Leaf Foods, president of ConAgra Grain Processing Co. and president of Janes Family Foods. He began his career with International Multifoods in 1981. Meanwhile, Timothy Schellpeper stepped down from his role as president and COO of Smithfield Farmland after nearly 25 years with the company and its predecessors. Schellpeper helped design the new organizational structure. Additionally, Daniel Kapella was promoted to president of Patrick Cudahy LLC, a Smithfield brand, effective March 1. In this role, Kapella will lead the day-to-day management of the company, taking over for William Otis, who will transition to executive vice president of operations, packaged meats division. Kapella began his career at Patrick Cudahy in 1986.

Kraft Foods Group, Inc., Northfield, Ill.
James Kehoe was named executive vice president and CFO, succeeding Teri List-Stoll, whom the company previously announced would step down from her role Feb. 28. Kehoe has extensive financial experience and previously spent more than two decades with Kraft in roles across numerous businesses and corporate functions. He re-joins the company from Gildan Activewear Inc., where he most recently served as executive vice president and chief financial and administrative officer. Prior to that, he was senior vice president of operating excellence at Mondelez International, Inc., where he led the company's global transformation program through improving execution across the business as well as cost-savings initiatives.

Allen Harim, Seaford, Del.
Poultry industry veteran Herb McCoun was appointed senior manager of supply chain, responsible for streamlining the supply chain process by working with sales and marketing in planning to meet sales demand and overseeing all aspects of the supply chain from the egg to the customer. McCoun served in an array of sales, marketing, live production and supply chain project roles over a 32-year tenure at Perdue Farms. Most recently, he led the supply team at Perdue, where he directed all supply planning for sales channels, including raw materials and production scheduling.

SUPPLIERS:

Spee-Dee Packaging Machinery, Inc., Sturtevant, Wis.
Cezary Mroz was appointed design engineer technical expert, responsible for handling technical aspects of engineering and development for the company’s auger and cup filler machines. Prior to joining Spee-Dee, Mroz was director of engineering for the past four years at Morrison Container Handling Solutions.

NewAge Industries, Southampton, Pa.
Mary Marcus was named new director of quality, responsible for all aspects of the company’s quality program, including developing and administering quality management system, training, data and root cause analyses, process improvements and facilitating change throughout the organization. As a result, Mary Vander Neut will fill Marcus’ old position of finance director. Vander Neut began her employment with NewAge Industries in 2002 as a sales representative for its plastic and rubber tubing. She’s also worked in the company’s accounts receivable and accounts payable departments and was promoted to assistant controller in 2010.