ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:
International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA), Chicago
Kent Walrack, president and COO of Lyons Magnus, was elected chairman of the board. Walrack began his career at Lyons Magnus 29 years ago, and has remained with the company throughout three relocations and nine promotions. In 2012, IFMA awarded Walrack the Key Person Award, which honors an individual in the foodservice manufacturer community who has an exceptional record of activity and high level of commitment to IFMA.
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Madison, Wis.
Greg Long was named regional marketing manager-Wisconsin, concentrating on state-based retail stores. Previously, Long was cheese monger, beer buyer and events coordinator for Fromagination. Additionally, Peter Leuer was promoted to regional marketing manager – Midwest region, responsible for working with leading cheese and food retailers, distributors and foodservice operators to promote and market Wisconsin Cheese in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois (the Chicago market) and Michigan (the Upper Peninsula). Leuer joined WMMB as regional marketing manager – local markets in 2003, working with Roundy’s, Piggly Wiggly, Festival Foods and Sendik’s, as well as smaller cheese shops and specialty retailers within Wisconsin and the surrounding states.
Cattlemen’s Beef Board, Centennial, Colo.
Weldon Wynn of Star City, Ark., was elected to serve as chairman for the coming year. Wynn served on the board of directors of the Pine Bluff National Bank of Star City; former emcee and judge of the National Beef Cook-Off; National Beef Ambassador judge; past president and active member of the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association; member of the University of Arkansas Animal Science 2000 Advisory Council; and past president, treasurer and fair manager of the Lincoln County Fair, among many others. Kim Brackett of Buhl, Idaho, will serve as vice chairman. Brackett served as secretary/treasurer of the Beef Board in 2012, and also has been an active member with the Idaho Beef Council, having previously served as chair, vice chair and treasurer. Kim has served on the Idaho Cattle Association, as committee and subcommittee chair; and on the 71 Livestock Association. Jimmy Maxey of Fresno, Calif., will fill the position of secretary/treasurer for 2013. Maxey served as president and chairman of the National Meat Association and was chairman of the California Beef Council.
PROCESSORS/RETAILERS:
Sunrise Growers-Frozsun Foods, Placentia, Calif.
California Strawberry Commission executive Mark Murai was named vice president of strategy and development, bringing knowledge of emerging farming and processing technologies, cutting-edge food safety and sustainability practices and a thorough understanding of berry industry dynamics to enhance the company’s supply chain, product innovation and customer satisfaction. Murai, a third-generation strawberry grower, led the commission to execute landmark initiatives in global trade, food safety, actionable crop research and extensive medical research into the health benefits of berries.
Keystone Foods, West Conshohocken, Pa.
Brazil's Marfrig Alimentos, parent company of Keystone Foods, hired former Cargill executive Frank Ravndal, Jr. to serve as chief executive officer, replacing William Andersen, who held the position on an interim basis. Ravndal Jr. will be responsible for leading 13,000 staff throughout 17 research and production facilities in North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania and Latin America. Ravndal Jr. spent 17 years at Cargill in various roles, most recently as president of Thermal Energy Supply Chain, which involved business in 12 countries. He also served as president of Cargill North America Power and Gas and Cargill Americas Grain and Oilseeds Crush. Before Cargill, he worked with financial markets firms in Venezuela.
Safeway Inc., Pleasanton, Calif.
Peter Bocian was hired as executive vice president and CFO, responsible for overseeing the company's financial functions, including accounting, tax, audit, treasury, investor relations, planning and business development. Bocian most recently served as executive vice president, head of corporate services and finance at JPMorgan Chase.
Panera Bread Co., St. Louis
Roger Matthews, Jr. was appointed executive vice president and CFO, effective March 18. Matthews brings more than 15 years of strategic and financial expertise from his time at Goldman Sachs, where he served as the senior relationship banker for more than 40 leading restaurant, consumer and retail clients. Most recently, Roger served as managing director and sector head of the U.S. Restaurant Industry in Goldman Sachs' Investment Banking division. Pat Kelly, who has served as Panera's interim CFO since April 2012, will remain in place until the end of March to ensure a smooth transition.
Blount Fine Foods, Fall River, Mass.
Todd Brown was added to the roster as vice president, food safety and quality. Brown brings an extensive background in quality assurance across both retail and foodservice production and development. For the last three years, he has been consulting for large corporations on food quality systems development, implementation and management, as well as food safety, crisis management and supplier quality development. Prior to that, Brown spent a decade at Groupe Danone as vice president of quality and food safety for North America. Brown also spent 25 years in quality and safety at The Pillsbury Co. facilities around the country, where he worked on Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso and Pillsbury brands.
Dean Foods Co., Dallas|
Robert Tennant Wiseman was elected as a new member of the board of directors. Wiseman helped grow Robert Wiseman Dairies from a local dairy company in the 1970s to Britain's largest fresh liquid milk processor. He joined the family business in 1975, and in 1994 after the company began trading on the London Stock Exchange, was appointed managing director of Robert Wiseman & Sons PLC. Recently, Wiseman executed the sale of Robert Wiseman Dairies to the Muller Group in 2012. He currently serves as non-executive director of Robert Wiseman Dairies Ltd.
SUPPLIERS:
Canadian Pacific, Canada
Keith Creel was appointed president and COO, effective Feb. 5, while E. Hunter Harrison will remain chief executive officer. Creel previously served as the executive vice president and COO of Canadian National Railway Co.
Ruan Transportation Management Systems, Des Moines, Iowa
Steven Wood joined as senior vice president of finance and administration and CFO, responsible for managing risk, financial analysis, general accounting, tax and license, payroll and customer accounting. Wood will also monitor and measure business practices and performance while supporting the needs of operating departments and more than 230 terminals across the United States. He joins as the company is expanding its core business of Dedicated Contract Carriage and increasing focus on Integrated Solutions to better provide a one-source transportation management solution.
Americold, Atlanta
Fred Boehler was appointed executive vice president and COO, responsible for U.S. operations. Boehler joins the company after serving as senior vice president of supply chain with SUPERVALU, Inc.
Provisur Technologies, Inc., Mokena, Ill.
Brian Perkins was named vice president, global product management, responsible for planning and directing all aspects of the company’s product management and marketing strategies, initiatives, policies and objectives on a worldwide basis. Perkins will also spearhead the ongoing development of new products and identify further opportunities for growth. Previously, Perkins was general manager for the Canning Systems business unit at John Bean Technologies Corp., where he headed one of the company's largest business units, restructuring its global operations and leading its business development and acquisition initiatives.
Lyco Manufacturing , Inc., Columbus, Wis.
Randall Unterseher named vice president of marketing, responsible for leading worldwide marketing activities that build awareness for the company’s product lines. Unterseher brings more than 20 years of manufacturing and food industry experience. Prior to joining Lyco, Unterseher was senior director of marketing for Key Technology, Inc.
Toray Plastics (America), Inc., North Kingstown, R.I.
Sarah Sesselmann was named an account representative for the Torayfan Polypropylene Film division, responsible for the growth and management of current and new customers in the converting and consumer product goods manufacturing sectors. Prior to joining Toray, Sesselmann was a packaging engineer at Diageo.
Union Pacific, Omaha, Neb.
Donna Kush will be promoted to vice president of public affairs-Northern region, effective April 1, succeeding Joe Bateman, who will serve as vice president of government relations until his retirement Oct. 1. Meanwhile, Brenda Mainwaring will be promoted to vice president public affairs-Southern region, effective April 15, succeeding Joe Adams, who will retire May 31. Tom Lange will be promoted to assistant vice president of corporate communications, succeeding Kush.
Klüber Lubrication North America L.P., Londonderry, N.H.
Ralf Kraemer was appointed chief executive officer, taking over for Dieter Becker, who returns to Klüber’s global headquarters in Munich, Germany, after leading the North American operations for nearly three years. Kraemer brings more than 15 years of sales, marketing and management experience in the metal cutting, woodworking, industrial equipment and power transmission industries.
Bunting Magnetics Co., Newton, Kan.
Sonia Cox was named director of marketing, responsible for the company’s worldwide marketing functions. She has more than 12 years of marketing and product development experience.
Marel Inc., Lenexa, Kan.
Bert Jan Hardenbol, managing director of Marel’s Further Processing Industry Center, will leave the company on Feb. 28 to pursue a career outside of the company. Theo Hoen, chief executive officer, will lead the Further Processing Industry Center in the meantime.
Tippmann Group/Interstate Warehousing, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Chuck Tippmann announced his retirement from president, with John Tippmann, Jr., stepping in to fill the presidency role. Chuck began his career at Tippmann Group in 1980 as a project manager, and worked his way up to president when he took over the day-to-day operations from owner and president-at-the-time John Tippmann, Sr. in 1992. John Jr. has been involved with Tippmann Group since he was 20 years old when he started working as a warehouse supervisor. Since then, he has been involved in all aspects of the Tippmann Group and Interstate Warehousing businesses, including warehouse operations and development, real estate management and construction operations.
