ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:
American Frozen Food Institute, McLean, Va.
Jeff Varcoe, vice president of food safety and quality for The Schwan Food Co., was elected chairman, while Dave Yanda, president and CEO of Lakeside Foods, Inc., was named vice chairman and George Smith, president and CEO of NORPAC Foods, Inc., as immediate past chairman. Board members elected to 3-year terms are Michael Allen of The Kellogg Co.; Ricardo Alvarez of Spartan Foods of America, Inc.; Paul Bakus of Nestlé Pizza; Angelo Fallucca of Palermo Villa, Inc.; John Geocaris of Little Lady Foods, Inc.; James Matthews of H.J. Heinz Co.; and Rob McCutcheon of ConAgra Foods, Inc.
National Pork Board, Des Moines, Iowa
Jim Meimann, senior vice president for governance and operations, and Mike Wegner, vice president of communications, will retire April 1. Meimann began his 27 years of service to the pork industry with the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) in 1986 at the start of the Checkoff and joined the Pork Board in 2001. One of his notable contributions included organizing the Checkoff and in ensuring a smooth transition during the separation of NPPC and the National Pork Board. Wegner has been with the Pork Board for 11 years, and has been instrumental in branding the Pork Checkoff and helping producers understand how their Checkoff is invested on their behalf.
PROCESSORS/RETAILERS:
Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich.
Cynthia Milligan, dean emeritus of the College of Business Administration at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and trustee of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, was added to the board of directors, effective Feb. 22. Prior to her tenure with the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Milligan served as director of banking and finance for the state of Nebraska. She was also a senior partner in Rembolt Ludtke Parker Milligan & Berger and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center and the University of Nebraska College of Law, specializing in taxation and banking law.
White Castle System, Inc., Columbus, Ohio
Lisa Ingram was promoted to president, responsible for overseeing all divisions of the company, including frozen food, Porcelain Steel Buildings (PSB) and the restaurant chain. Ingram is the great-granddaughter of founder Billy Ingram and daughter of current chairman and CEO Bill Ingram, who will continue to serve as CEO and chairman of the board.
United Natural Foods, Inc., Providence, R.I.
Denise Clark, senior vice president and global CIO for The Estée Lauder Cos., Inc., was named to the board of directors. Clark brings more than two decades of information technology experience, including in the delivery of enterprise resource planning (ERP), digital platforms and innovative business transformation initiatives. She has also been a leader in change and governance programs that drive business value and success.
Pizza Hut Inc., Dallas
Joe Kim was appointed chief operations officer, responsible for all aspects of the company's operations, including speed-to-market, management of operations and emphasis on restaurant excellence. Prior to joining Pizza Hut, Kim spent 15 years at Valero Energy, most recently serving as senior vice president, strategy and growth, where he oversaw Valero's strategic plan and the execution of growth initiatives.
The Broaster Co., Beloit, Wis.
Tracy Choppi was promoted to senior vice president of operations, Derek Fellows was promoted to vice president of manufacturing, and Denny Romer to senior vice president of sales and marketing. Lastly, Chad Vendette was named director of marketing, bringing focused marketing leadership experience and brand-building achievements.
SUPPLIERS:
Adept Technology, Inc., Pleasanton, Calif.
Rob Cain was elected president and CEO, succeeding John Dulchinos, who resigned as president, CEO and director of the company. Cain brings more than 25 years of experience in the high tech and capital equipment industries combined with a mechanical engineering and graduate business education. He has been a key figure in the turnaround and return to double-digit growth of multiple companies, most recently at Telanetix as chief operating officer and Avure Technologies as senior vice president of operations.
ATMI Inc., Danbury, Conn.
Christian Kramer was named senior vice president and GM of its microelectronics business, taking over for Tod Higinbotham, who is resigning. Prior to joining ATMI, Kramer worked at Tokyo Electron America, where he played critical roles in developing and executing their key customer and North American strategies.
Alaska Railroad Corp., Anchorage, Alaska
Clark Hopp was named vice president of engineering, effective in May, when Tom Brooks retires. Hopp has 12 years of experience with ARRC. He started in 2001 as a capital projects manager, and in 2003, became manager of civil projects. In 2011, Hopp was promoted to director of special projects, overseeing two rail extension projects—Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and Northern Rail Extension, Phase One.
