Organic Trade Association Names New Board Members
Melissa Hughes, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs for dairy cooperative Organic Valley, has been re-elected as President of the Organic Trade Association’s Board of Directors by fellow board members as part of the association’s 2016 general member election. This is the third year in a row for Hughes to serve as OTA President after being re-elected by OTA membership to serve her second three-year term on the board.
“I am honored by this vote of confidence from OTA membership and from my fellow board members,” said Hughes. “The organic sector has many challenges to tackle, and organic has to have a voice at the table to effectively address those challenges. OTA’s hard work has given us this voice, and I’m optimistic we’ll continue to help organic strengthen and advance.”
Other officers announced at OTA’s Annual Meeting held September 21 in Baltimore include Kim Dietz of J.M. Smucker Company as Vice President—USA, Sarah Bird of Bhakti Chai as Secretary, and Tony Bedard of Frontier Co-op as Treasurer.
In the recent election, Leslie Zuck of Pennsylvania Certified Organic was also re-elected, while Doug Crabtree of Vilicus Farms was elected to his first term on the board.
The OTA Board selected Marci Zaroff of Under the Canopy to fill an appointed term, and Ryan Benn of Alive Publishing Group Inc. has been appointed for another year by the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) to represent Canadian interests on the OTA Board for a one-year term.
Completing the board are Samantha Cabaluna of Earthbound Farm, Jesse Laflamme of Pete and Gerry’s Organics, David Lively of Organically Grown Company, Melody Meyer of UNFI, Kelly Shea of WhiteWave Foods and Perry Clutts of Pleasantview Farm.
“The diversity of the OTA Board reflects the diversity of OTA membership,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of OTA. “Our board members are all visionaries, as is every member of OTA. We have laid out an ambitious plan for organic for the next 15 years, and I know our board will get us closer to achieving that vision.”
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OTA thanked departing board members Rick Collins of Clif Bar & Company and Dag Falck of Nature’s Path for their contributions while on the board.
OTA is a membership organization, and its trade members have the opportunity to nominate and elect members of the board of directors. OTA elections are held in rotating cycles with new members serving three-year terms. In 2017, there will be three elected and two appointed seats. Anyone interested in adding their name to the slate should contact OTA.
Also during OTA’s Annual Meeting, Carmela Beck of Driscoll’s received OTA’s 2016 Member of the Year Award. This special recognition, driven by OTA staff and endorsed by OTA’s board, was created to honor a truly engaged member.
Over the years, Beck has proven to be a world-class member of the trade association. Each year, she leads Hill visit teams as part of OTA’s Policy Conference and is an enthusiastic supporter of Organic PAC. She has been an Annual Fund volunteer, and a valuable contributor on the international front, joining an OTA mission to Mexico to educate the Mexican government, industry and consumers on the U.S. organic industry and the National Organic Standards Board. She has been an active participant in OTA-led trainings with the Mexican SAGARPA and SENSICIA agencies, and co-presented with OTA at Expo Orgánico, Mexico’s largest organic-only event.
“Driscoll’s has been a long-term OTA member and I have been an active member since 2010. Driscoll’s Organic Program has grown to 15 percent of our business and will only continue to dramatically increase in the coming years. As OTA members we have relied heavily on the OTA for its leadership, expertise, advocacy, education, marketing and messaging capabilities,” said Beck. “I am very honored by this recognition, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration and our life’s work.”
OTA’s Annual Meeting and the annual Organic Leadership Awards dinner this year were held at the Columbus Center in Baltimore in conjunction with Natural Products Expo East. The event drew hundreds of OTA members to pay tribute to outstanding OTA members and to celebrate the strongest growth in OTA membership in five years. A total of 216 organic farmers and organic businesses have joined OTA in the twelve months since the 2015 awards dinner. OTA membership now represents more than 8,500 organic businesses and operations in every state of the union, from small organic producers to major growers, from local family-run organic operations to nationwide companies.
October the Month to Celebrate Cheese, Glorious Cheese
The sixth annual American Cheese Month celebration kicks off October 1, with events and promotions taking place nationwide throughout the month. Launched by the American Cheese Society in 2011 to highlight the nation’s burgeoning artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheese industry, American Cheese Month is a celebration of the incredible quality and diversity of cheeses made by American producers.
The American Cheese Society will commemorate American Cheese Month in its hometown of Denver, Colorado, at the Great American Beer Festival, where more than 500 pounds of artisan and specialty cheese will be sampled to consumers alongside craft beer. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has also shown his support for American Cheese Month by issuing an official proclamation and publicly declaring that he is Pro-Cheese. Viewers can watch this video of Governor Hickenlooper, along with a series of Cheese Party campaign videos that offer a lighthearted take on this campaign season, on the American Cheese Society’s Vimeo site.
Nora Weiser, Executive Director of the American Cheese Society, said, “As more and more consumers seek out high quality, local foods, regional cheeses from around the country are growing a loyal following.” There are over 900 such cheesemakers in the U.S., and the quality of their cheeses is seen in the awards they garner around the world. “These cheesemakers are passionate, hard-working, and incredibly creative,” said Weiser. “It is an exciting time in this nation’s food scene, as the fruits of their labor are embraced so strongly.”
Revenue from sales of Cheese Party merchandise and select American Cheese Month events in October will support the nonprofit American Cheese Education Foundation. The Foundation is funding the first comprehensive survey of the U.S. artisan and specialty cheese industry.
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Anyone with a love for cheese is encouraged to participate in American Cheese Month. A dedicated website and events calendar offer ideas for cheesemakers, retailers, distributors, chefs, enthusiasts, and others to get involved. Cheese lovers can also network on the American Cheese Month Facebook page and share photos of their celebrations on Twitter (#AmCheeseMonth, @CheeseSociety, @theCheeseParty).
If you would like to hold an American Cheese Month event, or if you are interested in learning more about partnership opportunities, contact the ACS office: 720.328.2788 or info@cheesesociety.org.
American Cheese Month is made possible with support from Gourmet Foods International.
Unified Grocers CFO Mike Henn to Retire; Christine Neal Named New CFO
Unified Grocers, Inc.’s Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Michael F. Henn will retire effective September 30. Effective October 1, Christine Neal will be promoted to the position of Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.
Mike Henn joined Unified last October following the retirement of Richard J. Martin. “It’s been a privilege to work with a great management team that has accomplished so much in the past year to position the company for solid growth going forward,” he said. “While personal circumstances have driven my decision to step back from a full time role, I will continue to assist the company in a more limited capacity as it transitions to new financial leadership.”
“Unified was extremely fortunate to have Mike on the team to guide us through a period of transition and to set the financial foundations for the next phase of the company’s growth,” said Unified President and CEO Bob Ling. “I’m grateful that he will continue to support the company going forward. Mike has played an important role, and all of us at Unified wish him well.”
Christine Neal has agreed to defer her own planned retirement to accept the CFO role while the company commences a search process for the CFO position, providing a seamless transition for the financial management function of the company.
Physiotherapy Dubai has turned into a vital part of man is india pharmacy viagra conjugal life. If you hit that critical time in your life where your health is as delicate as your body, Neo40 is your best bet to get you kicking sildenafil canada pharmacy it without straining your body. While you may think you don’t require studying one day, do it purchase levitra online More Discounts anyway. Most reputable studios structure a program around a 12-month schedule, with twice-weekly appointments, and scalp-rejuvenating oils, ointments and massages are part of that program. cheap viagra pfizer “Christine is a very talented executive with a strong track record of leadership in finance and strategy, and excellent knowledge of our company,” said Ling. “In addition to her proven financial management skills, she has been a key driver of the company’s new strategic plan, which we expect to finalize soon.”
“It’s an honor to take on the role of Chief Financial Officer at this important time in Unified’s history,” said Neal. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to play a larger role as we look to grow the business and enhance the success of our members.”
As CFO and Treasurer, Neal will be responsible for finance, accounting, information systems, internal audit (administrative responsibility) and strategic planning. She is also President of Unified’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Grocers Capital Company (GCC).
Neal joined Unified in 2003, and in her previous roles she was responsible for finance, treasury, strategic planning and human resources. Prior to the joining the company, Neal acquired a wide range of financial experience within the food industry, including serving for several years as a financial consultant to Unified. She also served as chief financial officer for the California Restaurant Association, the largest state restaurant and hospitality trade organization in the United States, and was controller for Gelson’s Markets, a premier upscale grocery retail chain in Southern California. Neal began her career at the Cincinnati office of Arthur Young & Company, where she worked for eight years as an accountant and audit manager.
Neal currently serves on the board of directors of the National Cooperative Bank. She has previously served on the board of directors of the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) and the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the American Red Cross. She earned her bachelor of science degree in accountancy and finance from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and is a certified public accountant.
