ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:
Pennsylvania Beef Council (PBC), Bedford, Pa.
Darwin Nissley, co-founder of The Nissley Brothers, was elected chairperson of the board of directors, succeeding outgoing chairman, Steve Paxton, co-owner of Irishtown Acres Dairy, who has led the board since 2015. Bobbi Dunn, owner of Dunn Farms, was elected vice chairperson, while David Kearns, Jr., a market representative, and Chris Jeffcoat, business consultant for Reichart Meats, will serve as secretary and treasurer, respectively. Newly elected to the board are Scott Mosemann, herd manager at Misty Mountain Dairy, LLC; Candice Dotterer White, dairy manager at Paul Dotterer & Sons; Mike Gahagan, packer representative; Amanda Butterfield, territory manager at Merck Animal Health; and Adam Kauf, independent dairy nutritionist for Donald Nutritional Consulting Inc.

The Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), New York
Karen Brosius will become president. Brosius has been executive director of the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia since 2004. Prior to joining the museum, she played a key role in national philanthropy and in community non-profits and arts organizations working for Altria Group, formerly Philip Morris Cos. Inc.

The University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus (UBC), Canada
In collaboration with Egg Farmers of Canada (EFC), Nathan Pelletier was named egg industry chair in sustainability/endowed chair in bio-economy sustainability management. Pelletier is cross-appointed to support interdisciplinary research at the Okanagan campus. Pelletier will be responsible for directing and managing research programs to support sustainability measurement and management for the Canadian egg industry and food sector. His work will include exploring sustainability measurement and management, life-cycle thinking and resource efficiency.

American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), Arlington, Va.
Scott Mugno, vice president, safety, sustainability and vehicle maintenance for FedEx Ground, was appointed to serve as chairman of the Research Advisory Committee (RAC). New RAC members appointed for the 2017-2018 term are Jon Blackham, policy and government affairs for Canadian Trucking Alliance; Dustin Koehl, vice president, sales and marketing for Total Transportation of Mississippi; Bill Brown, manager of fleet telematics, Southeastern Freight Lines; Caroline Mays, director of freight and international trade section, Texas Department of Transportation; Scott George, chief executive officer of TCW, Inc.; Lisa Mullings, president and CEO of National Association of Truck Stop Operators; Mike Golias, director of research for University of Memphis’ Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute; Tom Murtha, senior planner for Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; Stan Hampton, vice president of driver personnel for J.B. Hunt; deputy chief Mark Savage of Colorado State Patrol; Victor Hart, transportation safety manager for Dot Transportation, Inc.; Carl Stebbins, corporate director of admissions and marketing for New England Tractor Trailer School; Ken Howden, director, 21^st Century Truck Partnership, Vehicle Technologies Office at U.S. Department of Energy; Kelly Killingsworth, vice president, inbound transportation for Walmart; Harold Sumerford, Jr., chief executive officer of J&M Tank Lines, Inc.; Victoria King, group vice president, public affairs for UPS; and Jim Ward, president and CEO of D.M. Bowman.

The National Potato Council (NPC), Washington, D.C.
Kam Quarles was appointed senior director of public policy. Quarles has spent more than two decades resolving complex regulatory, communication and public relations issues for international businesses, public agencies and national trade associations, including the National Potato Council. He also served as vice president for government relations at United Fresh Produce Association and vice president of government affairs at the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.

Organic Trade Association (OTA), Washington, D.C.
Kelley Poole was selected to fill the role of vice president of government affairs. Poole most recently served as director of government relations for Verto Solutions LLC, where she provided oversight of federal legislative, public policy and regulatory activities in the United States and across the globe for food industry associations, including The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States and The American Spice Trade Association. Previously, she served in the Bush Administration in several capacities, including as special assistant to the under secretary for food, nutrition and consumer services and director of legislative and public affairs for rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2003-2009. Prior to that, she provided strategic planning and insight for communications and events for the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Trade & Development Agency and the U.S. Department of Labor, and served as a White House press advance representative to President George W. Bush, Mrs. Laura Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Poole previously served as chief cabinet aide to the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and as staff director for the Florida Senate Majority Office. In addition, Megan DeBates will take on the new position of director of legislative affairs and coalitions. DeBates most recently has served as senior legislative assistant to U.S. House of Representatives Congressman Peter A. DeFazio (OR-04), who was an author of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. She also advised and helped develop legislative strategy for this senior member of Congress on key issues concerning agriculture, defense, trade, foreign affairs, small business, homeland security and natural resource policy. She served as the lead staff for the House Organic Caucus. Both Poole and DeBates will begin their posts in January 2017.

 

PROCESSORS/RETAILERS/DISTRIBUTORS:
Mann Packing, Salinas, Calif.
Alex McCloskey was named product manager, responsible for impacting growth and profitability through strategic planning for products and brands. Previously, McCloskey was a product manager for Freedom Foods. Jasper Salazar joins as a senior business analyst. Salazar most recently worked for Earthbound Farm, and brings 11-plus years of experience in managing large database projects and various software implementations. Jesse Guillen was appointed district manager of the central region, responsible for growing retail business and creating and managing productive working relationships in the retail food segment. Guillen has been a district sales manager and territory manager for US Foods for the past six years.

Monterey Mushrooms, Watsonville, Calif.
Jill Moran was promoted to national customer service manager, responsible for maintaining effective customer service for all external customers and developing best practices and uniform customer service practices. Moran started with the company in accounting in 1991, and worked her way into the sales department in 2005 as the Western region customer service manager. Meanwhile, Dana Giacone was named sales manager of Southern California, Arizona and Hawaii. Giacone maintains extensive sales management and business development experience working with retailers, wholesalers, foodservice distributors and operators on regional and national levels. 

Hail Merry, Dallas, Texas
Andy Malloy was named chief executive officer. Malloy brings over 25 years in the snack food industry, previously as vice president of commercial sales for NatureBox; vice president of sales for Materne North America (GoGo SqueeZ); and vice president, direct-store-delivery for CROSSMARK. Earlier in his career, Malloy held a series of executive leadership roles, including vice president of small format business with PepsiCo/Frito-Lay.

Hormel Foods International Corp., a division of Hormel Foods Corp., Austin, Minn.
Don Gadsden will assume the position of president of Asia-Pacific, Hormel Foods International Corporation. Gadsden brings more than 30 years of experience growing businesses across the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia. He is a former CEO and CFO of Asia-Pacific for large multinational companies, including Heinz, Electrolux, Danone and Sara Lee Corp. Gadsden's most recent position was director/advisor for PwC Consulting. His leadership experience spans across strategy, board management, governance, international expansions and offshore operations.

Golbon, Boise, Idaho
Shelley Coleman joined as director of category management. She brings an extensive background in merchandising and retail category management, and maintains years of experience serving several leadership roles.

Handy Seafood, Salisbury, Md.
Don Riffle was named executive vice president of sales and marketing, effective Jan. 2, 2017. Riffle maintains 37 years of experience in the seafood industry, and recently retired from Clear Springs Foods, where he spent 18 years as executive vice president of sales and marketing. Riffle has also served on Handy Seafood’s Advisory Board for the past two years with a focus on growth and marketing strategy planning and execution.

West Pak Avocado, Inc., Murrieta, Calif.
Mario Pacheco was appointed chief executive officer, tasked with managing day-to-day operations and overseeing all financial and business-building efforts. Pacheco comes to West Pak with an extensive background in the fruit business, supply chain operations and finance. His specialties include business building, global supply chain leadership, revenue generation, supply and demand balancing and operations planning, financial analysis and creative cost reduction and service improvement. He spent 21 years with Chiquita Brands International, and most recently served as president of Great White Fleet. He also served as senior vice president of global logistics and vice president of sourcing and product allocation, among several other leadership positions.

Green Giant Fresh, Salinas, Calif.
Former senior marketing manager Lori Bigras was promoted to director of marketing and communications, responsible for internal and external communications, brand messaging, media buying, website development and upkeep and digital media. Additionally, she will manage key roles within the department, including packaging, events and tradeshows and consumer relations. Since the beginning of her tenure in November 2014, Bigras has been responsible for the development of the company’s first intranet, launching new consumer-facing websites for Growers Express and Farm Day Organic brands and is in the process of launching a new Green Giant Fresh site slated to go live by the end of Q1 in 2017. Other accomplishments include continually evolving and maintaining the integrity of the Green Giant Fresh brand through all visual and written content, revamping and organizing files and content department-wide, developing a new employee onboarding packet and building efficiencies and continuity into multiple facets of the department and organization’s operations. Additionally, Tricia Walker was promoted to event planner, effectively taking over the reins for the 20-plus events the company participates in and/or exhibits at each year. Walker will also be responsible for overseeing the company’s samples program, ensuring products requested are ordered, packed and shipped to arrive to customers coast-to-coast.

Valley Fruit & Produce, Los Angeles
Kurt Hubbart joins as category manager to further develop the company’s growing portfolio of regional and national accounts, and manage procurement of all Northwest commodities, including apples, pears, onions, potatoes and cherries. Hubbart spent 15 years working in the retail sector as a produce manager, sales manager and buyer for Albertsons, and maintains 14 years of sales and marketing experience from Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers, where he was instrumental in developing large corporate accounts.

SUPPLIERS:
Ivy Mobility Inc., Princeton, N.J.
Andy Walter joined the Global Advisory Board as a leading consumer goods experts. Walter maintains extensive experience in strategy, development, execution and operations across shared services and IT. Previously, he led the commercial services and delivery organization for Proctor & Gamble’s global business services, responsible for IT and shared services for all global business units and markets worldwide. As a member, he will be advising on company strategy and execution into the consumer goods and retail environments, including global R&D, product supply and manufacturing, marketing and international sales and operations. Walter also designed Proctor & Gamble’s business intelligence/analytics unit.

Polymer Logistics, Riverside, Calif.
Salim Baltagi was appointed vice president of operations, responsible for wash operations, transportation, asset management, IT and back office operations. Baltagi maintains more than 25 years of experience in the transport packaging, food and beverage industries. Prior to joining Polymer, Baltagi held executive positions in logistics and supply chain at Dean Foods and IFCO Systems. And, Josh Kling was appointed director of strategic business development, responsible for business development and marketing. Kling maintains a background in consumer goods and transport packaging. Previously, he held sales and marketing positions at MillerCoors, and most recently, at IFCO Systems.

Avmor, Canada
New regional hires include Marcus Costandi, region manager, Atlantic area; Mark Atkinson, territory manager, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island; Martine Menard, region manager, Quebec; Stephane Gagne, territory manager, Quebec East; Mike Watt, region manager, Ontario East & North; Irene O’Neil, region manager, Western Canada; Keri Carson, territory manager, Saskatchewan/Manitoba; and Julie Marie Berardi, territory manager, Alberta North. Additional new hires include Darrell Campbell, executive vice president corporate and foodservice accounts; Mike Rys, manager, corporate accounts foodservice; Patricia Briere, account manager, foodservice; Lai-Na Wong, marketing manager; Margaux Beauvais, marketing coordinator, website and graphics; Nancy Matte, customer care manager; and Laura Poce, coordinator pricing and customer care representative.

Silgan Closures, Downers Grove, Ill.
Sylvia Tomal joined as a marketing analyst, effective Dec. 1, responsible for supporting the sales and marketing staff in the development of presentations, tradeshow supervision, management of their social media platform and other projects related to the company’s sales and marketing activities. Tomal brings valuable packaging and marketing experience. Previously, she worked at the Summit Group and USA Strategies, Inc., responsible for a wide range of strategic marketing services. 

Toray Plastics (America), Inc., North Kingstown, R.I.
J.J. Bouvard was promoted to senior director of sales for the Lumirror division, responsible for growing business and managing the division’s business development and sales groups. Bouvard joined Toray in 2014 as a corporate marketing manager, and most recently served as senior corporate marketing manager. Prior to working at Toray, Bouvard was the vice president and general manager of Nelipak Corp. He also worked at Sealed Air for 26 years.