ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS:
The BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA), Canada
John Paul Fraser was appointed new executive director, effective immediately. Fraser maintains a deep background in public and government communications. Previously, he served as BCSFA’s deputy minister, responsible for government communications and public engagement. The association’s previous executive director, Jeremy Dunn, is now director of community relations and public affairs at Marine Harvest Canada.

NSF International, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Dr. Elisabeth Hagen joined the board of directors. Hagen is a physician with a long career in clinical medicine, public health and food safety consulting. As principal of Elisabeth Hagen, PLLC, she consults with a range of clients, including food companies and investors on food trends, regulatory issues and crisis management. Previously, Hagen was the under secretary for food safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from 2010-2013, where she oversaw food safety policy for the U.S. meat and poultry industries and advanced major reforms and consumer protections. She also served as principal in the White House Food Safety Working Group. Previous to that position, she led epidemiology and science programs in USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Since leaving the USDA, Hagen served as a senior advisor to Deloitte, where she advised Fortune 500 companies on food and product safety, supply chain risk and brand enhancement. In her role at Deloitte, she also counseled on growth and market differentiation of key consumer product offerings with a focus on emerging consumer preferences and trends. Hagen also holds board of director positions with TriStrata Group and Pure Bioscience.

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Washington, D.C.
John Smirnow will re-join SEIA as general counsel and vice president of market strategy. Smirnow is a trade and customs lawyer, who previously served as SEIA’s vice president of international trade. Since then, Smirnow has been providing legal services to solar companies worldwide on trade and market development. He also founded the Global Solar Council on behalf of 17 national and regional solar associations, and served as the council’s first secretary-general. And, Tony Chen will serve in the newly created position of vice president of business development. Chen maintains more than a decade of experience in business development in the solar industry, including his tenure as vice president of sales and business development at Cool Earth Solar, and as a project development manager at SolarCity, where he managed a $35 million sales pipeline.

The National Turkey Federation (NTF), Washington, D.C.
Beth Breeding joined as vice president of communications and marketing, effective Aug. 1, tasked with educating the public on the industry, encouraging Americans to serve turkey and serving as a liaison to the news media. Previously, Breeding worked as deputy chief of staff and communications director to Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), and served in communications roles for Congressmen H. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) and Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas). Lisa Wallenda Picard was promoted to senior vice president of policy, trade and regulatory affairs, and will continue to serve as the primary resource and advocate for NTF members on all regulatory matters. Picard joined NTF in 2011 as vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs. Previously, she was the chief of staff for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Prior to joining FSIS in 2002, Picard served as national director of public relations for Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus, and spent several years lobbying on animal welfare and agriculture issues. And, Leslee Oden was named vice president of legislative affairs, assuming increased responsibilities for guiding the federation’s legislative efforts on Capitol Hill and coordinating NTF’s grassroots outreach. Oden has been with NTF since 2010 as an integral member of the government relations team, previously serving as legislative director. In addition to day-to-day legislative duties, she also played a key role in increasing contributions to TURPAC to more than $200,000 per year.

PROCESSORS/RETAILERS/DISTRIBUTORS:
Peco Foods, Inc., Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Jay McMillan will transition into serving as the company’s first corporate director of further processing, responsible for further processing operations, including primary fresh raw operations producing further processing work in progress and directing key customer accounts. McMillan joined Peco Foods in December 2017 as director of special accounts and special projects, where he was responsible for managing key customers, as well as the renovations and expansions of Peco’s West Point, Miss., facility. Prior to joining Peco Foods, McMillan served as vice president of operations for Keystone Foods for a decade.

Westby Cooperative Creamery, Westby, Wis.
Curtis Rogers joined as sales representative, tasked with managing Westby brand product sales to retail food distributors and local retail grocery and convenience store outlets in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northeast Iowa, Northern Illinois and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Rogers brings extensive experience in the food industry and retail store management, including 17 years in local retail store operations and 20 years with Nabisco brand products in retail store distribution and district sales management. 

Target Corp., Minneapolis
John Bauer will join as senior vice president, global inventory management, effective Aug. 20, responsible for ordering, inventory positioning, global trade and domestic transportation. Bauer most recently served as chief logistics officer for The TJX Cos., Inc., and held prior supply chain leadership positions at Kohl’s and Starbucks. He previously worked at Target from 1999-2007.

Ben & Jerry's, Burlington, Vt.
Matthew McCarthy was named new chief executive officer, effective July 1, replacing Jostein Solheim, a 25-plus-year Unilever veteran who helmed the business for eight years. Solheim helped build and solidify the working relationship between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever, while growing the business and its social impact. Solheim was promoted to executive vice president of foods and refreshments at Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s parent company. McCarthy is a 21-year veteran at Unilever, where he increased the social impact of a number of the company's leading brands, including Hellmann's. He also committed Unilever's Knorr brand to higher welfare standards for its chickens, in collaboration with the Global Animal Partnership and Compassion in World Farming NGOs. Most recently, McCarthy created Growing Roots, Unilever's first organic snacking brand with a mission to support urban farming in underserved communities. McCarthy also founded the Men's Working Group for Gender Equality at Unilever.

Borden, Dallas, Texas
Tom Martin was appointed vice president, effective immediately. Martin brings 25 years of industry experience, having most recently served as Sam’s Club team lead for PepsiCo’s Quaker products. Previously, he served as director of customer management for Walmart and director of customer management for PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division. Martin also previously served in a variety of senior sales and general management roles at PepsiCo. 

Veg Fresh Farms, Corona, Calif.
Tyler Lance and David Figueroa joined the national foodservice sales team. Lance will continue to develop Veg Fresh’s roster of foodservice customers, while Figueroa, a previous board member on Produce Marketing Association’s Food Service Board of Directors and former co-chairman of FPFC SoCal Food Service Committee, brings decades-long industry knowledge to his business development role.

Inland Seafood, Atlanta
Mary Smith was appointed director of sustainability, working with Inland’s marketing, sales and purchasing teams to formalize sustainability initiatives and develop creative campaigns designed to educate and inspire customers. Smith will also coordinate Inland’s messaging to communicate the full scope of opportunities available to customers. For the past 6 years, Smith ran Springline Seafood, and is currently the publisher and editor-in-chief of Edible Alaska. Prior to her direct marketing efforts, Smith spent 15 years working in seafood marketing and sustainability for Santa Monica Seafood and The Plitt Co.

SUPPLIERS:
Welbilt, Inc., New Port Richey, Fla.
Hubertus Mühlhäuser announced plans to resign as president and CEO, effective Aug. 31, to become the chief executive officer of CNH Industrial N.V. As a result, Josef Matosevic will assume the role of interim president and CEO. Matosevic joined Welbilt in August 2015, and most recently served as executive vice president and COO. Prior to Welbilt, Matosevic held executive positions at The Manitowoc Co., Inc., Oshkosh Corp. and Wynnchurch Capital/Android Industries.

Navistar International Corp., Lisle, Ill.
Christian Schulz was named to the board of directors, effective immediately, replacing Matthias Gründler, who resigned from the board after serving more than a year as a director. Schulz is currently chief financial officer of Volkswagen Truck & Bus, soon transforming into TRATON AG, and has been in charge of corporate development, strategy and M&A since January 2017. Prior to joining the Volkswagen Truck & Bus team, Schulz worked as director of controlling operations worldwide at Mercedes-Benz Cars from 2011-2016. Between 2008-2011, Schulz worked as controlling director for purchasing, production and development at Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus in Tokyo. Schulz began his career at Daimler AG in 1999, and has held various positions in finance, controlling and risk management departments.