Daiya Foods appoints new CEO, National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association elects new members and more personnel news
ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS/UNIVERSITIES:
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), Paris, France
Erica Sheward was elected new director, responsible for helping to set and manage the GFSI Board agenda, steering Technical Working Groups and overseeing collaborations with global third-party organizations. She will also aim to further promote GFSI’s key objectives, namely driving harmonization of food safety standards, building food safety capability in the food supply chain and forming public-private partnerships. Previously, she worked as a senior executive at Leatherhead Food Research part of Science Group, and prior to that, worked in both academia and the public sector, having spent 6 years at two UK universities as a food safety specialist, followed by 5 years at the UK Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards. All in all, she maintains over 20 years of experience in the food safety industry.
Western Growers, Irvine, Calif. Dave Puglia was selected the next president and CEO, succeeding current president and CEO Tom Nassif, who is retiring Feb. 1, 2020 after 18 years of leadership. Puglia joined Western Growers in 2005, and currently serves as executive vice president, overseeing four departments in addition to the organization’s non-profit charitable foundation and its political action committees. Prior to joining Western Growers, he was vice president of APCO Worldwide, and served for 7 years in the California Attorney General’s Office, first as press secretary and later as director of public affairs and communications. Over the course of nearly two decades, Nassif elevated the national prominence of Western Growers and established the organization as a leader in food safety, labor and immigration, water, technology and innovation, international trade and other areas impacting members.