Jan McCaffrey has been hired as vice president of people at Organically Grown Co., in Portland, Ore. McCaffrey most recently was director of human resources for David Evans & Associates, a global civil engineering company.
Naturipe Farms in Salinas, Calif., has promoted Jim Roberts to president of sales, a new position at the company. Roberts has been at Naturipe for more than 15 years, most recently as vice president of sales. Before Naturipe, Roberts was with Shaws Supermarkets as senior manager of perishable procurement.
Zach Martin has joined Growth Energy as the new director of government affairs. He previously served as Rep. Collin Peterson's, D-Minn., senior legislative assistant covering the portfolio for energy, environment, trade, military, and homeland security. In his seven years working for Peterson, Martin also co-managed the Congressional Biofuels Caucus.
Zach Martin
Brian Ronholm has joined Consumer Reports as the new director of food policy. Ronholm, former deputy undersecretary for food safety at USDA under the Obama Administration, previously worked at Arent Fox as a senior director of regulatory policy for food and agriculture policy areas.
The Organic Farmers Association has hired Patty Lovera as its new policy director. Previously, Lovera helped start and grow Food & Water Watch, serving as the food and water program director for 14 years and representing FWW in the National Organic Coalition. Before joining FWW, she was the deputy director of the energy and environment program at Public Citizen and a researcher at the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice.
The National Ocean Industries Association has hired Richard England and Ashley Parkins. England is now the vice president of government affairs and Parkins now works as the director of meetings and events.
Kevin Hourican has been named president and CEO of Sysco, a food service distribution company, effective Feb. 1. Hourican succeeds Tom Bené, who will step down from his role as president and c.e.o. on Jan. 31 after two years at the helm of the company. Bené will stay on with Sysco as an executive adviser until March 1.
Kevin Hourican
Fair Trade USA, a non-profit that certifies fair trade products marketed in North America, has promoted Nathalie Marin-Gest as head of fresh goods, overseeing produce, floral and seafood. Marin-Gest joined Fair Trade USA in 2013, as the organization’s first supply chain manager for produce and floral.
Lucy Murfitt has been promoted to deputy staff director of natural resources for Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Ark., on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. She previously worked as the deputy chief counsel.
Renae Black has been promoted to staff director under Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V. for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. She previously was the deputy chief counsel.
Martha Spiker is now the press secretary for Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii. She previously served as the press secretary for Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif.
Connor Stubbs has been promoted to legislative director for Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash. Stubbs covers the portfolio of energy, environmental protection, foreign trade, and immigration.
Cody Sibulo now serves as the communications director for Rep. Gil Cisneros, D-Calif. He most recently served as the press secretary for Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio.
Holly Hinojosa has begun a new job on the Hill as Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., as a policy adviser covering the environmental protection and public lands and natural resources portfolio. Hinojosa previously worked at the USDA as a policy and congressional adviser. Before that she worked on the House Republican Conference for Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., as the deputy policy director.
Kiran Mysore has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Mysore is a Noble Research Institute professor and his research is focused on finding new disease resistant genes in plants to help reduce crop plant losses. Mysore was elected as a fellow for his contributions to the field of molecular plant-microbe interactions, particularly in the area of non-host resistance and for developing genetic resources for plant functional genomics.
The National 4‑H Council has announced the election of three new Trustees to its Board: James Collins, Jr., chief executive officer of Corteva Agriscience; Wade Miquelon, chief executive officer of JOANN; and Tennessee 4-H alumnus Justin Cross, Young Alumni Advisory Committee (YAAC) Representative.
Richard Keehn, a founding member of the California Association of Winegrape Growers and the first chair of its board of directors, passed away on Dec. 20, 2019. After serving 15 years in the U.S. Army, Keehn began farming winegrapes in Mendocino County in the early 1970s. Keehn served as CAWG’s chair for four years (1974-1978) and as a director for seven years. Keehn also served on the California World Trade Commission Advisory Council, California Board of Food and Agriculture, American Vineyard Foundation and Wine Institute.
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