ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:
Association of American Railroads (AAR), Washington, D.C.
Kristin Smith, who was recently promoted to vice president, communications, will be succeeding Patricia Reilly, senior vice president, communications, who will be leaving the company at the end of the year to launch a strategic communications consultancy company. Reilly has been spearheading communications efforts since 2008, and was instrumental in establishing the “Freight Rail Works” branding/advocacy ad campaign as the face of the freight rail industry inside Washington, D.C. During her time at AAR, Reilly has expanded the scope and reach of the industry’s efforts to raise awareness about freight rail’s benefits and contributions, with an emphasis on all the industry does in the name of safety. Smith has been with the AAR since 2010, directing the multi-year “Freight Rail Works” campaigns, spearheading research initiatives and overseeing AAR’s many advocacy campaigns. Prior to joining AAR, Smith was with Ogilvy Washington, and managed the AAR account. Her previous experience includes McDonald’s, Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Snap-on Tools.
 
PROCESSORS/RETAILERS/DISTRIBUTORS:
Kraft Heinz, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Rashida La Lande will join as new global general counsel and corporate secretary, effective mid-January 2018. In this role, she will lead the company’s legal function, including corporate governance and securities, transactions, regulatory, intellectual property, litigation and labor and employment. Currently a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, La Lande brings expertise in mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, private equity deals and joint ventures. She also maintains 18 years of experience representing companies and private equity sponsors in the consumer products, retail, financial services and technology industries. La Lande will replace Jim Savina, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Savina played a key role in the 2015 integration of Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Co., holding various legal leadership positions during his 5-year tenure.

Vanguard International Group, Issaquah, Wash.
Curt McDonald joined the team at Vanguard Pride in Wapato, Wash, in the newly created role of director of facilities. McDonald brings over 25 years’ experience in Washington State’s fruit industry. Previously, he was with Hansen Fruit Co., where he was responsible for all receiving, cold storage and controlled-atmosphere, packing and shipping operations, as well as packaging procurement and inventory management.

Bothwell Cheese, Canada
Wally Smith was named executive vice president. Smith has been an active leader in the Canadian dairy industry since becoming a full-time dairy farmer in 1985. Previously, he was president of Dairy Farmers of Canada, a position he’s held since July 2000. In July 2002, he was elected to the Executive Committee, and in 2005, was elected to the International Federation of Agricultural Producers Group on Dairy Products where he served as vice-chair from 2008-2010.

Phillips Foods, Baltimore, Md.
Sarah Palmer was named vice president of foodservice sales, where she will lead overall sales strategy and business growth. Palmer maintains more than 25 years of foodservice industry experience. She joined Phillips in 2010 as a product specialist. Previous to that position, Palmer served as a territory manager and seafood specialist with US Foodservice, where she developed new and existing business with restaurants, universities, healthcare facilities, business and industry cafeterias and K-12 schools in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. She was also a national sales manager for a major poultry producer, and has served as an inside sales representative for Sysco Eastern Maryland.

G. Willi-Food International Ltd., Israel
Michael Luboschitz was appointed new chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1, 2018. Luboschitz has served as vice president, commerce and sales S.Schestowitz Ltd. since January 2012. Prior to that, from 2008 until December 2011, Luboschitz served as chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of MANA Ltd. In addition, Luboschitz established a culinary brand called "Master Chef." From 1984-2008, Luboschitz served in various positions at Sano Ltd., most recently as vice president marketing, sales and operation and CEO of all of Sano's subsidiaries.

Weigel’s, Knoxville, Tenn.
Ken McMullen, president since 2001, will now serve as chief executive officer. McMullen joined Weigel’s in 1981 as operations manager. His additional roles with Weigel’s have been vice president of operations, executive vice president, and was the first non-family member to be named president. While serving as president, he has been instrumental in the company’s growth of adding of 46 new Weigel stores, as well as its first bakery. Douglas Yawberry, a 9-year veteran with Weigel’s, will move from vice president of operations to president and COO. Yawberry has been key to the day-to-day operations of the 66 stores, as well a serving as a member of Weigel’s top management and corporate marketing group. John Kelly was named vice president of operations. Prior to joining Weigel’s in July, Kelly served as vice president of operations and COO for Road Runner Markets for 13 years. Previous capacities also include division operations manager and national category manager with Sunoco and marketing manager with Coastal Inc. William Weigel, son of one the company’s founders, will now serve as chairman. Weigel joined the company in 1960 following it’s founding as a dairy in 1931. In 1960, he was instrumental in establishing the drive-thru “Jug ‘O Milk” stores, followed by the opening of the first walk-in milk store in 1964, which was also the first convenience store in Knoxville, Tenn. Weigel has served in the capacities of general manager, vice president, president and CEO. Through his leadership, Weigel’s has grown from a home delivery supplier of milk to operations of 66 convenience stores, as well as a dairy and bakery. 

Colabor Group Inc., Canada
M. Denis Mathieu and Warren White joined the board of directors, effective Jan. 1, 2018. Mathieu is currently president and CEO of Novexco Inc., and from 2007-2015, Mathieu worked for Uni-Select Inc. as executive vice president corporate services and CFO. He previously held various management and executive positions with Transcontinental Inc. and the Laurentian Group Corp. For his part, White served as senior vice president, global business engineering at CGI from 2003-2012; vice president, information technology and procurement for Alcan Aluminum; and vice president, strategic planning and CIO for Dominion Textile. Also, Raymond Paré was elected to the board of directors, replacing Elaine Zakaïb, who resigned as director of the corporation. Paré was chief financial officer of the SAQ from November 2015 until August of this year, when he joined Sotramont Canada Inc. as an associate partner. Between 2003-2015, he held several executive positions at Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., including vice president and CFO during his last years. Paré also acts as strategic advisor for Groupe SPI Inc.

FOODSERVICE:
Captain D's, Nashville, Tenn.
Tim Ward was promoted to chief operating officer, tasked with overseeing all company and franchise operations, as well as developing and implementing strategies to further heighten system-wide operations, guest service and unit-level economics. Ward joined Captain D's seven years ago, and most recently served as vice president of company operations. Andy Castle was promoted to vice president of company operations, succeeding Ward, responsible for managing staffing and development, accurate execution of marketing initiatives, ensuring proper food handling procedures and practices and meeting and exceeding sales and profit targets. Castle joined Captain D's in 2012 as area director in Middle Tennessee, and maintains more than a decade of experience working in fast-casual environments nationwide. David Rentschler was promoted to director of operations for the Nashville-Knoxville-North SC district. This promotion comes on the heels of his success as area director for the past three years, helping his region become No. 1 in the system. And, Jen Daley was named Knoxville area director. Daley has served as general manager of the Lenoir City Captain D's in Tennessee for the past seven years.

SUPPLIERS:
Johnson Controls International plc, Ireland
John Young was appointed to serve as a director. Young is currently group president of Pfizer Essential Health, and will become group president of Pfizer Innovative Health, effective Jan. 1, 2018. Young maintains more than 30 years of experience with Pfizer, starting as a sales representative and moving on to a number of senior global positions across the company. Young takes over for chairman and CEO David Abney, who intends to retire as a director at the conclusion of the company's 2018 annual stockholders meeting.

Hörmann High Performance Doors, Burgettstown, Pa.
Brian Fulton was named regional sales manager for the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. As a 23-year veteran of the door industry, Fulton will work to maintain existing dealers and develop new relationships as well.

ITS Logistics, Reno, Nev.
Ryan Martin joined as president of warehouse and distribution, taking over for Darryl Bader, who is also one of the original founders of the company. Bader will continue in his role as part owner and board member. Martin has been in the logistics industry for almost 20 years, starting as an intern at the K-Mart Logistics Center. He then joined JCPenney, and soon became the youngest senior facility manager in the company’s history. He was elevated to the corporate office as senior human resources manager of associate development, responsible for training and development of more than 8,000 supply chain employees. After becoming a supply chain facility director on the East Coast, he ended his career at JCPenney by running its fully automated flagship distribution center. Martin then joined Speed Commerce as vice president of operations, managing its B2B, e-commerce and call center businesses. He also assumed the role of director of operations for EBAY Enterprise’s Northern Nevada and Southern California branches. Before coming to ITS, he was the general manager of Arrow Electronics’ flagship distribution center.

ThermalRite, Minneapolis
Michael Kelly joined as sales manager, responsible for specialty product sales. Kelly maintains over 20 years in the foodservice industry. He spent 15 years as a chef at various universities and schools around Pittsburgh, Pa., and most recently served as project manager at Foodservice Construction and Renovation.

Insight Enterprises, Inc., Tempe, Ariz.
Girish Rishi, chief executive officer at JDA Software, Inc., was appointed to the company's board of directors.

Restaurant Revolution Technologies, Inc., Bellevue, Wash.
Brad Duea was named chief executive officer. Duea has been working with Revolution as a strategic advisor since June. In July, he was appointed interim CEO. Duea has been at the forefront of the digital and mobile revolution, building and motivating teams across the globe in dynamic segments, including digital music, digital media software, mobile devices and services and smart consumer electronics. Most recently, he served as managing director/general manager of the Americas-Pacific business unit for Sonos, Inc., where he was responsible for $500 million-plus in revenue. Prior to that, he was senior vice president, marketing for T-Mobile USA, responsible for all product management, including the sourcing, positioning and delivery of over $5 billion in value-added services, devices and accessories. Prior to joining T-Mobile USA, Duea served as president of Napster, Inc., which Best Buy, Inc. acquired in 2008. Under his leadership, Napster’s total revenue increased from less than $12 million to well over $120 million, including an increase of international revenues from zero to over $20 million with a 2,500% increase in subscribers. Prior to Napster, Duea served as vice president of worldwide business development and worldwide OEM sales for Roxio, Inc., and before that, was vice president of corporate development for PeopleSupport, Inc. He was also a corporate lawyer with O’Melveny & Myers LLP.

tna, Dallas, Texas
Jonathan Rankin was appointed chief sales officer, responsible for providing leadership and structure to tna’s expanding sales team, setting a sales strategy that supports the company’s ambitious growth plans and ensuring that tna’s business objectives are closely aligned with the needs of its diverse customer base. A tna and industry veteran, Rankin returns to the company to head up tna’s global sales division and support customers as the company branches out into new applications and industry sectors. Rankin maintains over three decades of food industry experience. Having held various global management roles at tna from 1993-2003, he is well-versed in the company’s culture, business objectives and portfolio of integrated food processing and packaging solutions. Most recently, he served as general manager for Marel, where he was responsible for the growth of the company’s Oceania operations.

Jamison Door Co., Hagerstown, Md.
Dwight Clark was promoted to president and COO, effective Jan. 1, 2018. John Williams will retain the title of chairman and CEO. Clark joined the company in 2001 as vice president sales and marketing, and has led the sales effort since that time, acting as a key player in helping guide the introduction of new products and territories. Clark has been on the board of directors of the International Association for Cold Storage Construction since 2002. Clark was a manufacturer’s representative in Southern California for 15 years prior to joining Jamison.

IN MEMORIUM: BERNARD LALONDE, THOUGHT LEADER IN LOGISTICS & SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Bernard “Bud” LaLonde, professor emeritus at Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University (OSU), Columbus, Ohio, and a recognized thought leader in logistics and supply chain management, passed away Dec. 1.

LaLonde joined OSU in 1969 and helped establish the College of Business as a destination for generations of supply chain students and scholars. He authored more than 120 articles and books and chaired more than 60 doctoral dissertations while in higher education.

While at OSU, LaLonde served as the founding editor of the Journal of Business Logistics in 1978, which he later gave to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), Lombard, Ill.

LaLonde was the 1989 recipient of the college’s Faculty Service Pace Setter Award and the Eccles Medal from the Society of Logistics Engineers.

A long-time member of the CSCMP, LaLonde was honored with the organization’s Distinguished Service Award in 1976. In 1978, the CSCMP created the Bernard J. LaLonde Best Paper Award to recognize the most valuable paper presented annually in the Journal of Business Logistics.

Further cementing his legacy and commitment to the next generation of supply chain leaders at Fisher, the Bernard J. LaLonde Transportation and Logistics Scholarship Fund was created to honor his academic service. Since its inception, the fund has provided more than 70 undergraduate students with access to transportation and logistics education.