ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:
International Food Information Council, Washington, D.C.
Joseph Clayton was named president and CEO, and will serve as chief executive officer of the IFIC Foundation, effective July 11. Clayton is currently the interim president of the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), and previously served as AFFI’s executive vice president of public affairs. Prior to joining AFFI, he held leadership roles with Golin International and Widmeyer Communications, where he served as chief executive officer.

California League of Food Processors (CLFP), Sacramento, Calif.
Burt Fleischer, environmental director of Hilmar Cheese Co., was elected the 2016-17 chair.Other newly elected officers include Janet Edwards, director of plant operations for Musco Family Olive Co., as first vice chair, and Tim Nelson, plant manager of Seneca Foods Corp., as second vice chair. Outgoing chair Greg Estep, managing director of Olam Spices & Vegetable Ingredients, will continue as immediate past chair.

Seafood Harvesters of America, Washington, D.C.
Brett Veerhusen announced plans to step down as executive director. Scott Coughlin, a veteran commercial fisherman involved in the founding of the group, will serve as the interim executive director.

H.A. Bruno, LLC, Paramus, N.J.
The owner and producer of CPP (Collaboration in Packaging Production) EXPO welcomed three long-time veterans of the printing, packaging production, converting and finishing industry sectors as members. Jane McDermott, CPP show director, maintains more than 25 years of experience in managing tradeshows and conferences in a variety of different market segments. She was also the show director of CMM International for over a decade. Chris Price, chief strategy officer at TradeShow Logic, was brought on to assist with the sales and marketing. Price previously served as vice president of the Graphic Arts Show Co., where he was responsible for both Graph Expo and Print. Prior to that, he was vice president at Graphics of the Americas. Roger Halligan, chief executive officer of H+A International, helped launch ICE USA in 2011, and served as the chairman of the advisory board for North America's largest converting event for the past five years. He also worked with McDermott at CMM International for several years to help the event reach 30,000 attendees. 

PROCESSORS/RETAILERS/DISTRIBUTORS:
Heeren Bros. Inc., Comstock Park, Mich.
Brian Coates was hired as new director of procurement, responsible for taking the company’s local product offerings and quality standards to the next level and assisting with its growth strategy in retail, foodservice and institutional channels. Coates spent 32 years with Meijer, and 28 years in the produce procurement department.  

Markon Cooperative Inc., Salinas, Calif.
Andrew Engles was promoted to assistant purchasing director, charged with overseeing the purchasing of all fruits, vegetables, herbs, lettuce and green salads for its foodservice customers. Engles joined Markon in June 2006, most recently serving as a product manager, where he oversaw the purchasing of Northwest commodities such as apples, onions, pears and potatoes. In this role, he was also responsible for growing produce sales of select commodities by establishing markets, providing commodity updates, servicing customers and suppliers and fostering and building relationships.

Schwan’s Consumer Brands, Inc., a subsidiary of The Schwan Food Co., Bloomington, Minn.
April Anslinger joined as senior vice president and chief growth officer, responsible for all sales, marketing and customer development functions. This newly created position was designed to align sales and marketing functions to support the company’s iconic brands and in-store execution. Anslinger brings more than 20 years of brand marketing experience to the role. Most recently, she served as brand director for Procter & Gamble’s Herbal Essences brand, where she supervised a large global brand team spanning across North America, Europe and Asia. Also, while at Procter & Gamble, she served as a co-leader on the company’s Women’s Empowered Organization, which focuses on gender-diversity issues and female retention.

Perdue Farms, Salisbury, Md.
Randy Day was promoted to chief operating officer, effective immediately. Previously, Day was president of Perdue Foods, a post he was appointed to in February 2015. He joined Perdue Farms in 1980, and has held various positions in distribution and sales before being named director of quality assurance and product development in 1992. He was promoted to vice president in 1993, and in 1996, was named vice president of quality assurance and logistics. He was later promoted to president and general manager of foodservice and prepared foods, responsible for further-processed turkey and foodservice operations, foodservice sales and marketing, business development and the division’s overall direction and focus. In July 2008, Day became senior vice president of Perdue AgriBusiness LLC, responsible for business development and strategic planning as well as management of Perdue BioEnergy LLC and Perdue AgriRecycle LLC. In August 2013, he returned to Perdue as senior vice president of sales and supply chain optimization. In May 2014, he was promoted to executive vice president of supply chain for Perdue Foods. Meanwhile, Steve Evans will rejoin the company as president, effective May 31. Evans has been chief executive officer of Allen Harim Foods since 2013. He started his 36-year poultry career at Cagle’s Farms in 1980. Evans joined Perdue in 1985, and held a variety of sales and marketing positions of increasing responsibility. In 2011, he was promoted to senior vice president of sales and supply chain, responsible for driving sales in the foodservice, international, wholesale and industrial channels, and leading the supply, demand, customer service, logistics and transportation functions.

Allen Harim Foods, LLC, Seaford, Del.
Joe Moran was promoted to chief executive officer, taking over for Steve Evans, who rejoined Perdue Farms as president (see above). Moran, a poultry industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, will oversee all aspects of the company’s operations, including grow-out, production, sales and marketing, finance and human resources. Moran joined Allen Harim in November 2015 as executive director. Before joining Allen Harim, Moran served as chief operations officer at Mountaire Farms.

General Mills, Minneapolis
Jorge Uribe was elected to the board of directors, effective June 1. Uribe retired in 2015 from his role as global productivity and organization transformation officer at Procter & Gamble, where he was responsible for the company's major productivity initiatives and broad-based structural and cultural re-design. Uribe previously served as the group president of Latin America at Procter & Gamble, managing businesses in more than 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries with over 18,000 employees.  He also oversaw a tripling of net sales from $2.8 billion in 2004 to more than $8 billion in 2012. Earlier in his career, Uribe served as vice president for Venezuela and the Andean region, managing the firm's business in Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.

Palmetto Processing Solutions, division of Titan Farms, Ridge Spring, S.C.
Hunter Graves was hired as sales account manager, responsible for creating new partnerships and managing sales accounts and external relationships. Graves comes with over 10 years of experience in both broadline food distribution and individually-quick frozen (IQF) food product launches. He began his career at Menu Maker Foods, where he advanced through the sales chain, starting his career as a territory sales representative and continued on to become district sales manager. Most recently, Graves acted as the company’s regional business development manager, where he grew the private label foodservice division by 150% in less than two years.

D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of CA, Salinas, Calif.
Cody Hontalas was hired as business assistant, tasked with developing customer relationships and assisting with accounts and commodity managing responsibilities. He will also be making sure daily commodity estimations and information are accurately updated and that supply forecasts are effectively communicated to the sales business office. Meanwhile, Chelsea Williams joined as a marketing and business development assistant, working on the broccoli rabe marketing campaign, creating marketing assets for customers, conducting market research, launching new products, visiting with customers and managing tradeshow logistics. 

Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich.
Ron Dissinger announced plans to retire as chief financial officer at the end of 2016. Dissinger has led or played a central role in a number of major initiatives, including acquisitions such as Pringles and Bisco Misr, in addition to Kellogg Integrated Margin Management, Project K, Zero-Based Budgeting and the development of the company’s 2020 Growth Plan.

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Lake Success, N.Y.
James Meiers was appointed to the newly created position of chief operations officer, responsible for achieving the cost savings across the company’s worldwide operations, as outlined in its third quarter fiscal year 2016 results. 

FOODSERVICE:
Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc., Canton, Mass.
The parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins promoted David Gill to vice president, supply chain U.S. and Canada, responsible for supply, including the negotiation, implementation and management of supplier and distributor agreements, quality assurance, commercialization, manufacturing and equipment. Additionally, he will lead the supplier approval process and work with the culinary and brand teams to develop new products for the restaurants. Gill joined Dunkin’ Brands in 2000. Pete Jensen was promoted to vice president, supply chain international, tasked with leading the international manufacturing and sourcing, logistics and service, regulatory compliance, supplier quality and food safety, new product commercialization and in-store equipment innovation for both Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins. Jensen joined the company in 2010 as global supply chain director for Baskin-Robbins. Sherrill Kaplan was promoted to vice president, digital marketing and innovation for Dunkin’ Donuts U.S. Kaplan joined Dunkin’ Brands nearly five years ago and has played a lead role in the development and execution of the brand’s digital strategy and the DD Perks Rewards Program. Additionally, she has overseen the significant growth of the Dunkin’ Mobile app and the brand’s on-the-go ordering initiative, currently in test in multiple markets. Dennis McCarthy was promoted to vice president, financial management, leading the international financial management team for Dunkin’ Brands. He will also oversee the Dunkin’ Brands supply chain finance team and serve as head of corporate financial planning and analysis. He joined the company in 2009. And, Kathryn Thomas was promoted to vice president, legal and managing counsel, responsible for overseeing employment, marketing and intellectual property law, in addition to serving as legal counsel for Baskin-Robbins U.S. and market counsel for Dunkin’ Donuts in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. She joined the company in 1998.

Smashburger, Denver, Colo.
Co-founder Tom Ryan will assume the role of chief brand officer, spearheading brand evolution as the company expands its operations and global ambitions. Ryan has served as chief concept officer, overseeing product development and quality standards, and has held top branding, marketing and product development positions at Procter & Gamble, McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Quiznos. He is responsible for developing and launching some of the most iconic menu items in foodservice history, such as the McGriddle, the Stuffed Crust Pizza and the Steakhouse Beef Dip. This announcement follows the recent appointment of Mike Nolan as chief executive officer.

SUPPLIERS:
Provisur Technologies, Inc., Mokena, Ill.
Pedro Girardelli was appointed country manager for Brazil in a move to further solidify the company’s presence in Latin America, tasked with managing all activities in Brazil and the Southern Cone of South America, including sales, service and regional agents. Girardelli brings more than 20 years of diverse management, operations, sales experience and proven leadership abilities. Most recently, he owned and managed GIREX Consulting, helping companies develop more effective sales and prospecting strategies focused on the business-to-business capital goods markets. Prior to that, Girardelli was the marketing and sales director, Latin America for JBT FoodTech, responsible for managing new equipment and aftermarket sales. Girardelli’s other management and sales experiences include positions with Instron, General Electric and Nortel Networks.

MULTIVAC, Inc., Kansas City, Mo.
Drew Lericos was hired as marketing director for the U.S. business,, responsible for leading the product management team, trade communications, tradeshow execution and customer engagement initiatives. Lericos brings a diverse background, including foodservice and consumer packaged goods marketing as well as marketing in the packaging industry. Most recently, he headed marketing for Smithfield Foods’ Farmland packaged meats business. Prior to this role, he was director of marketing for Robbie Manufacturing, and has held several prominent marketing positions for food brands within McCormick & Co., Snyder’s of Hanover and American Italian Pasta Co.

The Allen Lund Co., La Cañada Flintridge, Calif.
Oswaldo (Ozzy) Montoya was promoted to business development specialist. Montoya began his career in 2007 as a transportation broker with Allen Lund.  

Birko Corp., Henderson, Colo.
Mark Fisher was named director of operations, responsible for all supply chain functions, including production, shipping, receiving and purchasing. In addition, he will be responsible for plant and facilities maintenance, ISO initiatives and safety programs. Fisher comes from Electronic Recyclers Inc. (ERI), where he has worked since 2012, first as a plant manager, and most recently as a regional plant manager. Prior to ERI, he was spent eight years in operations roles at Avery Dennison, and 10 years in engineering and production management roles at Duracell.

Bunting Magnetics Co., Newton, Kan.
Jana Davis was promoted to the newly created position of chief operating officer, effective May 30, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day business operations, including manufacturing, distribution and engineering of all four divisions. Davis joined the company in 2011 as chief financial officer.

HotSchedules, Austin, Texas
Elizabeth Sartin was named chief product officer (CPO), focusing on community and data analytics among the company’s end users and overseeing product design, development, SaaS operations and big data. Sartin was previously a CPO at Match.com Europe (Meetic), where she reenergized its product experience and subscription model and ultimately grew the company's market share in Europe. She also led the acquisition of Yahoo Personals and the migration of its user base into the Match.com U.S. community. Sartin brings more than 15 years of management and product experience in Fortune 500 and 1,000 companies.

LINKFRESH, Canada
Andy Makeham was appointed new chief executive officer of the UK and global operations. Makeham previously spent 13 years as founder and CEO of K3 Business Technology Group plc. Over the course of his 40-year career, he also founded and developed several successful software businesses, including Sheffield Micro and BEC Group. He also occupied a number of senior positions at IT sector companies, including Advanced Computer Software Group plc and Kewill Systems plc.

FranConnect, Reston, Va.
The provider of franchise management software appointed Tom van Gorder as executive vice president, global sales. van Gorder is a seasoned sales and business development executive with 20-plus years' experience at leading technology and information publishing companies. Prior to FranConnect, he was senior vice president of worldwide sales and channels for Arxan Technologies. He has also held senior management roles at Macrovision Corp., Current Analysis and VeriSign, Inc., where he identified and created strategic partnerships to drive revenue and company growth. Meanwhile, Tracey Moon was named vice president, marketing, responsible for the strategic planning and execution of the company's marketing, branding and customer outreach programs. Previously, Moon held leadership roles at global organizations such as Brillio, GANTECH and Cognizant Technology Solutions, where she led strategy planning and execution, product positioning and launch management. Her experience also includes leading integrated marketing communications, advertising and promotional campaigns designed to reach business customers around the world.

IN MEMORIUM: TOM MOHS, PLACON CORP.

Tom Mohs, founder and chairman of Placon Corp., a Fitchburg, Wis.-based manufacturer of thermoformed and injection molded plastic packaging products, passed away weeks before the company is to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

In 1966, Mohs built a small thermoforming machine in his home workshop for making plastic jewelry boxes. Within three years, he started receiving orders from local cheese processors. Today Placon is a $150 million company that patented the design for “BlisterBox,” what is said to be the first retail clamshell package created in the United States.

A true believer in finding ways to cut waste, Mohs worked with recyclers of plastic soda bottles, while redesigning and retooling thermoforming equipment to produce an alternative to virgin PVC (polyvinyl chloride) packaging. Two years, later Placon began running products in recycled PET(polyethylene terephthalate).

Continuing his pursuit of being environmentally responsible, Placon installed an in-line production facility in 2001 to provide closed-loop, continuous production of its foodservice products. In 2003, Placon built a new, recycled PET (rPET) plastic extrusion facility requiring a supply of high-quality recycled material. Placon’s recycling and extrusion operation was completed in 2011, allowing the company to control the recycled content and quality of its EcoStar branded plastic sheet made with curbside-collected, post-consumer rPET from bottles and thermoforms.