Gourmet News

ADM Adds AT&T’s McAtee to Board of Directors

Published November 8, 2024

ADM’s board of directors has elected AT&T Inc. Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel David R. McAtee II as its newest member. McAtee has served as AT&T’s worldwide general counsel since 2015.

“David brings a critical perspective to ADM as we continue to evolve our company into the future,” said ADM Chair of the Board and CEO Juan Luciano. “He has a true depth of experience in government regulation, strategic planning, and data security, and has helped execute strategy through engagements with institutional investors and key government stakeholders. This expertise will be an invaluable source of guidance as ADM navigates our own path ahead.”

“ADM plays a critical role in helping feed the world,” said McAtee. “I’ve been impressed with the board and executive leadership team’s focus on this purpose through its guiding values of integrity and teamwork, and I look forward to advancing their mission.”

McAtee brings nearly a decade of experience advancing all legal matters at AT&T, including governance, M&A, strategic planning, finance, supply chain, government regulation, compliance, data security and shareholder engagement. He serves as a trusted advisor to AT&T’s executive leaders and board of directors across a variety of complex operational and strategic issues as the company has adapted to a rapidly evolving technological landscape and positioned itself for continued organic growth.

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. It’s an essential global agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. It’s a premier human and animal nutrition provider, offering one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of ingredients and solutions from nature.

It’s a trailblazer in health and well-being, with an industry-leading range of products for consumers looking for new ways to live healthier lives. It’s a cutting-edge innovator, guiding the way to a future of new consumer and industrial solutions. And we’re a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize the multiple industries we serve.

Around the globe, its innovation and expertise are meeting critical needs while nourishing quality of life and supporting a healthier planet. Learn more at www.adm.com.

For more news of interest to the food and beverage industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

Legacy Food Group’s CEO Push appointed Executive Chairman

Published November 4, 2024

Legacy Food Group’s CEO Steve Push has been appointed executive chairman of the board, a newly created position that continues his leadership role within the company. This move allows Push greater strategic focus on the firm’s mission to acquire regional independent distributors.

“The new chairman role provides me the opportunity to place greater emphasis on long-term growth, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships,” said Push. “My role as CEO has been involved with helping create a strong team, cultivating a strong culture, as well as bringing new companies into the LFG Family.

“I am incredibly proud of the world class team we are building, which will fuel our future successes. This transition will allow me to dedicate more of my time to expanding our acquisitions efforts, and focus on strategic growth. This will help us continue to build Legacy Food Group into a recognized force in the foodservice distribution industry.”

Before LFG, Push served as CEO and chairman of Legacy Foodservice Alliance, which he founded in 2009 to facilitate commerce between independent foodservice distributors and suppliers. Push has a long history in the foodservice industry, having held senior management roles at Pocahontas Foods USA and Progressive Group Alliance from 1983 to 2009, where he focused on sales, marketing, and distributor development.

LFG has experienced tremendous growth since its inception last September, bringing together five independent foodservice distributors spanning different markets who now operate as local Operating Divisions of LFG: Keck’s Food Service, M&V Provisions, Thomsen Foodservice, Best Mexican Foods and Halsey Foodservice.

“We will continue to grow by offering high-quality regional distributors the benefits of greater scale that come with our shared resources and group buying power while retaining the local identity and management that make them unique in their local market,” said Push.

For more news of interest to the foodservice industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

IFMA Adds The Food Away From Home Association to Name

Published November 4, 2024

After decades of branding itself the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, a new identity for the 72-year-old organization was revealed – IFMA The Food Away from Home Association.

Announced this morning at the organization’s Presidents Conference, the change was prompted by the association’s recent long-term strategic planning that included intensive self-examination and taking a clear-eyed look at the state of the industry.

After the pandemic years, it became clear that the foodservice supply chain and ecosystem are interconnected, with manufacturers, operators and distribution partners needing each other to address critical challenges. Through surveys and in conversations with existing members and industry peers, IFMA realized that it was time for the organization to adapt to the needs of the industry it serves. The association says the new identity will more accurately reflect its strategy to represent the entire food-away-from-home marketplace.

“We have committed to the whole industry by broadening our membership rolls,” said Ben Wexler, president of Custom Culinary and 2024 board chair. “We know that manufacturers remain at the core of all we do, and by adding new categories of membership – notably operators, those in the supply chain, and service providers to our industry – we can better engage the entire ecosystem. It’s critical we all work together – not in silos – to address critical issues that advance the industry.”

Keeping IFMA as part of the association name was critical to the group. “It’s important to us that we maintain our legacy as IFMA while growing to serve a more dynamic and transformed foodservice community,” said Phil Kafarakis, President & CEO of IFMA The Food Away Association. “Our new name is purposeful and sets a clearer and more powerful message about who we are as an organization.”

The new brand logo includes a graphic depiction of four intersecting “swirls” that represent segments of the industry joining together through the work of the association to empower, nurture, and connect the whole ecosystem.

Group vice president, field sales at Cargill, and incoming 2025 board chair, Teri Trullinger explained, “Our expanded membership enables us to be the industry connector, creating a gathering spot where challenges that face all segments can be addressed. We’ll be leveraging the breadth of membership to meet our mission to lead a dynamic, transparent, and engaged food-away-from-home community” .

With plans for a soft brand roll-out between now and January, followed by full rebranding in the new year, the organization also plans to champion cross-industry initiatives to bring the industry together to collaborate on important issues. The first initiative will focus on addressing food waste across the segments of food-away-from-home.

More on IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, including details on membership and future events, can be found at ifmaworld.com.

IFMA The Food Away from Home Association is a trade association founded in 1952. The organization empowers, nurtures, and connects an inclusive and diverse $1.5 trillion food-away-from-home ecosystem of manufacturers, distributors, operators, and others. By sharing insights, fostering best practices, and developing networking and educational opportunities through events, IFMA The Food Away from Home Association informs and instructs its members, and motivates change to improve both individual organizations and the food-away-from-home industry at large.

For more news of interest to the foodservice industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.