ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:
Produce Marketing Association, Newark, Del.
Produce industry veteran Joe Watson joined as vice president of domestic business development, responsible for leading the U.S. domestic business development team tasked for building industry relationships to attract new companies to PMA and engage current members in the PMA resources and opportunities. Most recently, Watson was the director of produce for Rouses Supermarkets, where he managed produce operations of the chain's 46 retail stores, in addition to buying, category management, marketing, sales, financial forecasting and personnel development. Watson started his career in the produce industry in 1979, working as a produce clerk.
PROCESSORS/RETAILERS/DISTRIBUTORS:
Tampa Maid Foods, Lakeland, Fla.
Michelle McGillivray was hired as business development manager for the Northeast region, responsible for developing and managing the company’s foodservice distribution business in the Eastern United States. She has worked for the last three years as the Northeast regional manager for Wayne Farms Foodservice, and spent seven years with Sara Lee Foodservice as regional and senior manager, responsible for the broker network and corporate accounts in the Eastern markets.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Fayetteville, Ark.
Greg Penner, who previously served as the board’s vice chairman, was elected board chairman, taking over for Rob Walton, who has served as chairman of the board since 1992. Penner began his career as an analyst specializing in corporate finance at Goldman Sachs & Co. He then joined Walmart as a management trainee and held a number of positions throughout the company, including senior vice president of finance and strategy for walmart.com and senior vice president and CFO – Japan. Since 2005, he has been a general partner of investment management firm Madrone Capital Partners, and joined the Walmart board of directors in 2008.
Smithfield Foods, Smithfield, Va.
Michael Skahill, vice president of global affairs, was elected to the board of directors of the U.S.-China Agriculture & Food Partnership, which was created in 2013 with the support of both the United States and Chinese governments to serve as the key public-private sector coordinator for bilateral food and agriculture cooperation. Skahill plays a key role in driving forward and supporting the work already underway in the development of policies and strategies to engage governments, multilateral organizations and other key stakeholders in international markets that are strategic to Smithfield Foods. Skahill joined Smithfield in 1998, and has also served in key international sales functions, most recently as vice president of international sales until April 2013. Prior to joining Smithfield, Skahill spent 13 years of international meat merchandising and trading experience with the Louis Dreyfus Corp., the United States Meat Export Federation and Cargill, Inc.
Tofutti Brands Inc., Cranford, N.J.
Steven Kass, chief financial officer, will assume the day-to day duties of David Mintz, chairman and president, who successfully underwent surgery and expects to return to his duties this summer.
Boulder Brands, Inc., Boulder, Colo.
Company CEO and co-founder Steve Hughes announced his resignation, effective immediately. Chief operating officer James Leighton will serve as interim CEO, effective immediately. Leighton has served as COO since October 2013, and has been a member of the board of directors since August 2007. He’s also held numerous general management positions, including president and president of operations and supply chain of Perdue Foods; senior vice president of operations at ConAgra Foods, Inc.; and senior level management and executive positions with Celestial Seasonings, The Hain-Celestial Group and Nabisco. He was founder and CEO of National Health Management Inc.
FOODSERVICE:
McDonald's Corp., Oak Brook, Ill.
Robert Gibbs was appointed executive vice president, global chief communications officer, responsible for leading McDonald's corporate relations group, which manages internal and external communications and government and public affairs. He will also lead McDonald's in communicating clear, coordinated messages to internal and external constituencies, enhancing the brand and supporting corporate strategies. Meanwhile, Silvia Lagnado was appointed executive vice president, global chief marketing officer, responsible for all aspects of global brand management, including global marketing, menu and consumer insights. Gibbs joins McDonald's from The Incite Agency, and has held several senior advisory roles in the White House, serving as President Barack Obama's press secretary during his first term, then as senior campaign advisor during his re-election campaign. He will replace Bridget Coffing, who announced her retirement earlier this year after 30 years with the company. Lagnado was most recently chief marketing officer of Bacardi Ltd., where she was responsible for setting the marketing vision for multiple brands. Prior to that, she spent 20-plus years at Unilever, serving as executive vice president of the Savoury business unit. She also created Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty."
SUPPLIERS:
Standex Refrigerated Solutions Group, Salem, N.H.
This foodservice equipment provider promoted Jack McDonald to vice president of marketing and business development, responsible for driving marketing and business development initiatives for Nor-Lake and Master-Bilt. McDonald joined Standex in 2009 as director of marketing and business development. He has spent his entire business career in the foodservice equipment industry, starting with the Hobart Corp., as a regional sales manager advancing to national accounts manager and then area manager. He joined Beverage Air as national accounts manager advancing to senior vice president of sales and marketing over a 22-year career.
Lineage Logistics, Colton, Calif.
Mark Morgan was named to the newly created position of vice president, HPP operations, after the warehousing and logistics company backed by Bay Grove Capital, LLC, installed new high-pressure processing (HPP) machines. In his new role, Morgan will oversee all aspects of Lineage’s HPP operations in Allentown, Pa., and Mira Loma, Calif. He has more than 25 years’ experience in manufacturing, engineering and operations.
Swire Cold Storage, Australia
Andrew Sanderson was appointed service and operations director and serve as an executive director on the board, responsible for all warehouse and transport operations nationally. Sanderson brings nearly 30 years’ experience in logistics across the supply chains of manufacturers, food retailers and third-party logistics warehousing and transport operations. His prior roles include general manager of Fonterra, where he led logistics network transformation; head of distribution at Asda; and general manager of supply chain and national transformation for Coles.
SPX, Charlotte, N.C.
Bruce Hanke was named aftermarket sales manager, covering SPX’s food and beverage equipment in the United States and Canada. Hanke will provide commercial support and develop key value propositions on the benefits of utilizing OEM parts and services to help grow the SPX aftermarket business in the food, beverage, dairy and pharmaceutical markets covering its Waukesha Cherry-Burrell, APV, Anhydro, Gerstenberg Schröder and Seital product lines. Hanke brings extensive global aftermarket, sales, marketing and product management experience from his previous roles at Case-New Holland, Jacobson-Textron and Velvac. Meanwhile, JP Phillips was appointed district sales manager covering Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and middle and western Tennessee. Phillips will provide commercial and technical support to channel partners and help grow SPX components in the food, beverage, dairy and pharmaceutical markets, including its Waukesha Cherry-Burrell and APV brand positive displacement pumps, centrifugal pumps, mix proof, single seat and manual valves as well as heat exchangers, homogenizers and Seital Series separators. He brings extensive sales management, training and technical support experience from his past roles at Ampco Pumps, Food Equipment and Engineering Co. and ProcessFlo Inc.
A M King Construction, Charlotte, N.C.
Joe Day was hired as project engineer, responsible for submittal review, RFI management, contract administration, document management and assisting with project manager tasks.
