ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:

North Carolina State Ports Authority, Wilmington, N.C.
Industry veteran Alherd Kazura was named chief financial officer. Kazura has over three decades of experience in the transportation field, having worked in the container shipping, terminal management and cruise industries. He previously served as the senior vice president corporate business development at Horizon Lines, where he provided leadership on key financial and operational decisions. After spending the first six years of his career working for Cunard Line and Scandinavian World Cruises, Kazura joined Sea-Land Service, Inc., as general manager of European services, where he transferred to the newly formed unit of CSX Corp., CSX World Terminals. Kazura joined Horizon Lines in 2004, holding positions in corporate strategy, finance, business development and operations.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, Long Beach, Calif.
U.S. Marine Col. Richard Jordan was named the new chief of staff, tasked with assisting the commission in making key decisions in governing the Port of Long Beach. Jordan most recently served as director of enlisted professional military education at the Marine Corps University, where he oversaw approximately 280 Marines and civilians at six educational academies around the globe. Previously, he was the strategy and policy division chief for the Middle East for the United States Central Command from June 2011 to June 2014. In that role, he interacted on a daily basis with civilian leadership from the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He was promoted to colonel in 2011, responsible for as many as 400 Marines. He deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, 2005 and 2008. From 1993-1999 he served with a Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron. Jordan is scheduled to start at the port on Dec. 7.
 

PROCESSORS/RETAILERS/DISTRIBUTORS:
Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis.
Brian Ginn joined the consumer products division as sales team leader, West, responsible for managing the Albertsons/Safeway team as well as regional customers in the western part of the country. He will also be responsible for achieving financial objectives across the region, and support corporate strategies by strengthening customer relationships. Before joining Sargento, Ginn was customer vice president of revenue management for The Kraft Heinz Co., where he spearheaded the introduction of a new planning process. Ginn has also led the Kraft Foods teams for Safeway and the western region, where he built strategic relationships, developed organizations and drove productive business collaboration.

Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd., New Zealand
New independent director Clinton Dines will take up the board position made vacant when Sir Ralph Norris steps down Nov. 25. Dines retired as president of BHP Billiton China in 2009, and currently serves on the boards of KAZ Minerals plc and Zanaga Iron Ore Co.

Clearwater Seafoods, Canada
John Gu was appointed vice president Asia-Pacific, effective mid-December. Based out of Shanghai, China, Gu will be responsible for providing leadership to further develop and deliver Clearwater's organizational objectives in the Asia-Pacific region. Gu currently leads a national sales force of 600 who are responsible for business-to-business interactions across China for a multi-national grocery retailer. Prior to his current role, Gu held a variety of management roles with Unilever China and Unilever EMEA.

Three Twins, Petaluma, Calif.
Marketing veteran Sarah Bird joined as chief sales and marketing officer, responsible for building the Three Twins brand at retail and drive consumer engagement. Bird brings deep consumer-packaged goods experience to this position. Previously, she was chief marketing officer at Annie’s Inc., and departed after the General Mills acquisition. Prior to Annie’s, she worked for PowerBar, Nestlé and Frito Lay, where she developed a capacity for effective planning, brand management, marketing communications and cross-functional leadership.

FOODSERVICE:
UniPro Foodservice, Inc ., Atlanta
The foodservice distributor appointed Robert Stewart as chief executive officer. Stewart joined UniPro in 2014 as the company’s COO, and has been serving as interim CEO since April 2015. Stewart brings 30 years of diversified experience in distribution, professional services, retail and manufacturing. Hi professional career began in public accounting with Grant Thornton and Deloitte and transitioned into food distribution with a 20-year career at what is now US Foods, where he held several key roles in finance, procurement and general management, progressing to senior vice president.

SUPPLIERS:

MOCON, Minneapolis
Karsten Kejlhof was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing for the company’s package testing and permeation businesses. He was previously vice president of sales and marketing for the company’s package testing products and services segment. For the past 13 years, Kejlhof has represented the Dansensor modified atmosphere packaging product line in various sales and marketing capacities.

Motion Controls Robotics, Inc. (MCRI), Fremont, Ohio
James Skelding joined the sales team as a specialist in roll handling for the paper, film, foil and other converting industries. Skelding comes to MCRI with years of varied experience in developing and selling roll handling equipment. For example, he spent 10 years as the general manager/director of sales at Core Systems, and before that was product manager at Automatic Handling International, Inc., where he orchestrated project management and led cross-functional teams in all aspects of mechanical and electrical equipment design.

Maxxam Analytics, Canada
Parent company Bureau Veritas announced the appointment of Donna Garbutt as Maxxam's new chief executive officer, effective Nov. 5, taking over for Jon Hantho, who has led Maxxam for nine years. Garbutt most recently held a number of executive management positions for Schlumberger, including president of Schlumberger Canada. Garbutt maintains 25 years' experience in the oil and gas industry and a proven track record for leading customer-centric growth initiatives.

TOMRA Sorting Solutions, Sacramento, Calif.
Andreas Reddemann was appointed global service director, tasked with enhancing customer care. Reddemann has extensive experience in creating and implementing worldwide customer service strategies. His previous positions include vice president service sales and customer support at MTU Friedrichshafen for three years. In the eight years prior to that, he was global service director for SEW-EURODRIVE, where he managed 60 service centers and 360 people.

Spartan Motors, Inc., Charlotte, Mich.
John Slawson joined as president of the Spartan Emergency Response business unit, succeeding Dan Slater. Slawson most recently served as the president and CEO of Horton Emergency Vehicles. Prior to joining Horton in 2011, Slawson was the president and equity partner of U.S. Tanker Fire Apparatus LLC. Other positions entailed president of Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles, and director of dealer development and distribution for Pierce Manufacturing.

Stellar, Jacksonville, Fla.
Scott Fischer was hired as vice president, food and beverage sales, tasked with expanding Stellar’s client base into new food industry markets across the United States. Fischer comes to Stellar from Shick USA. Fischer served two tours of duty in the United States Marine Corps. He then built his career with roles of increasing responsibility with AZO, Inc., MAC Process and Shick Solutions.

IN MEMORIUM: ERNEST VOIGHT, GOLBON

Ernie Voigt, co-founder of Golbon, Boise, Idaho, passed away peacefully on Oct. 14.

After returning from service in the Pacific in the Army Air Corp during World War II, Voigt began a lifelong career in the food business. In 1946, he helped found a frozen food sales company, went on to work for Loblaw as president of the company's private label division, and in 1963, co-founded Bonded Frozen Foods, which later evolved into Golbon, an institutional foodservice distributor. He was with the company for 52 years, and up until April, was still working four days a week at the age of 90. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to MISTI, Boise, Idaho. At the family's request, there will be no service.