ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:

American Meat Institute, Washington, D.C.
Elected to the chairmanship for 2012-2013 is Nick Meriggioli, executive vice president of Kraft Foods Group and president of Oscar Mayer. Greg Benedict, president and COO, American Foods Group LLC, will serve as the new vice chairman. Elected to serve as treasurer for the 2012-2013 term is Gary Jacobson, chief operating officer of Indiana Packers. David McDonald, president of OSI Group, LLC, is a new incoming officer and will serve as secretary. Larry Odom, former chairman, president and CEO of Odom’s Tennessee Pride Sausage Inc., becomes the immediate past chairman. J. Patrick Boyle was re-elected to serve a 24th term as the institute’s president and CEO. New directors include William Fielding, chief executive officer of HeartBrand Beef, Inc.; Craig Hess, president, Speco, Inc.; Tom Kittle, president, Handtmann; James Renda, executive vice president and COO, Multisorb Technologies; and Harlan Vande Zandschulp, president, Gleeson Construction and Engineers. Also joining AMI’s executive committee is Jeff Eastman, chief executive officer, Alchemy Systems; Warren Panico, president and COO, Bar-S Foods Co.; and William Toler, president and CEO, AdvancePierre Foods.

National Chicken Council, Washington, D.C.
Bill Lovette, president and CEO of Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., was elected to serve as 2012-2013 chairman. Serving as vice chairman is Michael Helgeson, chief executive officer of GNP Co. New to the officer corps, Jerry Lane, president of Claxton Poultry, takes over as secretary-treasurer. In addition, Mike Brown of Vienna, Va., was elected to a second term as president.

National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, Washington, D.C.
Twelve members were appointed to terms beginning Nov. 1 and ending Oct. 31, 2015. Newly appointed members are Lawrence Hancock, Texas; Lanette Harsdorf, Wis.; Edward Jasurda, Wis.; David Veenhouwer, Idaho; and Marilyn Hershey, Pa. Re-appointed to serve second terms are George Marsh, Ore.; Ray Prock, Jr., Calif.; Arlene Vander Eyk, Calif.; Paul Fritsche, Minn.; Mark Erdman, Ill.; Susan Troyer, Ind.; and Ronald McCormick, N.Y.

National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association, Harrisburg, Pa.
John Larsen, vice president BUGM Dairy/Refrigerated, Safeway, Inc., was re-elected as chairman of the board. Larsen has served on the board since 2006. Scott Haws, Land O’Lakes, was named chairman-elect; David Welch, Winn-Dixie Stores, secretary; Ray Tarnowski, Philadelphia Warehouse & Cold Storage, treasurer; Scott Rouse, Tyson Foods, vice chairman, frozen; and John Farmer, Global Dairy Products, vice chairman, refrigerated. Newly elected were Kristina Cole, WhiteWave Foods; Brigid Gilmore, Nestle U.S.A.; Steve Mayle, General Mills; Ken Messick, GFA Brands/Smart Balance; Dan Nolan, Stremick’s Heritage Foods; Trenton Potts, Daisy Brand; Ed Sullivan, Lactalis Retail Dairy, Inc.; and Mark Williams, Harris Teeter. Elected for a second term were Brian Haley, Burris Logistics; Brian Lernihan, Unilever; Mark Lorion, United States Cold Storage; Steve Ostrander, Crystal Farms; Yvonne Turnbough, Pepperidge Farm; Chris Vasconcellos, Save Mart Supermarkets; and James Walsh, H.P. Hood.

International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association, Madison, Wis.
Voni Woods, senior director of deli, Giant Eagle, Inc., was elected president, while Steve Beekhuizen, senior vice president of sales, Dawn Food Products, Inc., continues to serve on the board of directors as past president. Other new officers for 2012-2013 are Bill Klump, executive vice president; Dave Leonhardi, vice president; and John Cheesman, treasurer. Industry leaders elected to serve three-year terms on the board of directors are Steve Beekhuizen, senior vice president of sales, Dawn Food Products; Glenn Harmon, senior vice president, PriceSmart, Inc.; Ed Meyer, vice president of meat and seafood, Schnuck Markets Inc.; Mark Rudy, vice president of sales, Hubert Co.; J.K. Symancyk, chief operating officer, Meijer, Inc.; and Dotty VanderMolen, senior account executive, Advantage Waypoint LLC. Other board members continuing to serve are Mark Brown, president, Fresh Creative Foods; Linda Duwve, vice president of retail sales, Emmi Roth USA; Mike Farrand, director new channel development, Hormel Foods Corp.; Rick Findlay, vice president of purchasing, Whole Foods Market, Inc.; Jewel Hunt, vice president of corporate pharmacy, Safeway Inc.; Dave Leonhardi, director of education and events, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.; Sean Moran, vice president, sales, Schreiber Foods, Inc.; Dave Peterson, vice president of retail sales, BelGioioso Cheese Inc.; Greg Schlafer, vice president and general manager of bakeries and foodservice division, General Mills Bakeries & Foodservice; Jerry Slater, national client services director, Acosta Fresh Foods; John Sullivan, president and CEO, Norseland Inc.; Philippe Surget, president, Lactalis Deli, Lactalis American Group; David Vroom, senior vice president and general manager, Sargento Foods Inc.; Erik Waterkotte, director of sales, deli, John Morrell Food Group; and John Wellenzohn, vice president, sales, in-store bakery division, Rich Products Corp.

Intermodal Transportation Institute at the University of Denver, Denver, Colo.
Adriene Bailey, vice president of strategic business development for Yusen Logistics (Americas), Inc., will serve a two-year term as chair. Steve Branscum, group vice president of consumer products for BNSF Railway, was elected to senior chair.

Organic Alliance, Inc., Salinas, Calif.
Chris White was promoted to chief development officer. White brings eight years of professional experience building sustainable, certified food production and pioneering models of development and trade in Latin America. He has also spearheaded the development of Organic Alliance's Fair Trade Initiative announced Oct. 3, and is instrumental in building the company's rapidly growing portfolio of top quality organic and Fair Trade produce growers in Mexico.

PROCESSORS/RETAILERS:

Preferred Meal Systems, Inc., Berkely, Ill.
Jim Drumm was named national vice president of business development, responsible for developing and executing business strategies to accelerate the company’s nationwide growth for public and private school districts, charter schools, daycare centers and senior feeding. Drumm has been actively involved in the foodservice industry for 20 years.

Kayem Foods, Chelsea, Mass.
Michael Mulrain, chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Polar Beverages Corp., and Lawrence Siff, founder and managing director of Neptune Advisors, were elected to the board of directors.

SUPPLIERS:

A M King Construction, Charlotte, N.C.
Jon Miller was promoted to business development manager of regional industrial projects. Miller will celebrate his two-year anniversary in February 2013.

Canadian Pacific, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Brian Grassby was appointed senior vice president and CFO, effective Nov. 1, replacing Kathryn McQuade, who is retiring. McQuade will remain as a senior advisor to Grassby until the end of her contract in May 2013. Grassby will be responsible for financial planning, reporting and accounting systems as well as pension, treasury, tax and supply services.

FreightCar America, Inc. , Chicago
Andrew Schmitt was appointed to the company’s board of directors, effective Oct. 8. Schmitt served as the chief executive officer of Layne Christensen Co., which provides water management, construction and drilling services and related products to water, mineral and energy markets.

Raymond Corp., Greene, N.Y.
Timothy Koval, vice president and chief legal officer, was appointed president and COO for Arbor Material Handling, Inc., an authorized Raymond sales and service center in Willow Grove, Pa. In this role, Koval will oversee all operational aspects of the business, including servicing customers throughout eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware. Koval has been with Raymond since 1989, and has more than 20 of years experience in the material handling industry.

Navistar International Corp., Lisle, Ill.
John C. (Jack) Pope, chairman of PFI Group, LLC, was appointed to the company's board of directors, replacing David D. Harrison, who elected to retire after serving five years as a board member. Also, Vincent J. Intrieri and Mark H. Rachesky were appointed to the board.