President Joe Biden has announced his intent to appoint Maria Gallegos Herrera as the Rural Development state director for California. Gallegos Herrera joined the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019 as the Central California deputy regional director of external affairs and in July of 2021 was promoted to Central California regional director. Herrera previously served as a community development manager at Self-Help Enterprises, a community development organization dedicated to working with low-income families to build and sustain healthy communities.
Joy Kono, USDA FSA, Hawaii
Biden has also announced his intent to appoint Joy Kono as the Farm Service Agency state director for Hawaii and Maria Gallegos Herrera as the Rural Development state director for California. Kono joins FSA with over 30 years of managerial and administrative experience in support programs. She comes from a rural community on the island of Kauai and was born into a family that farmed a variety of vegetables and livestock. Kono spent 18 years with BEI Hawaii, where she held positions from analyst to branch manager. For the last 20 years, she has worked for Kamehameha Schools where she served as senior director.
President Biden also announced the appointment of Casey Sixkiller to the position of EPA's Region 10 administrator. That region serves Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Sixkiller previously served as deputy mayor of the city of Seattle and before that was the chief operating officer of King County, Washington.
Eric Dorne has announced he will retire from United Natural Foods Inc., on October 29. Dorne has been in the grocery industry for 46 years and has spent the past 11 years with UNFI where he most recently served as the chief operating officer. Before UNFI, he spent 35 years with A&P Supermarkets.
Vickie Linder will retire as the agricultural products manager for Alliance Rubber Co., in July. Linder has been in her role since 1988, and has been given the nickname ‘Produce Goddess’ after selling the world’s first imprinted rubber band in 1986. Succeeding her as agricultural products manager is Adam Linder, a close relative.
Maria Pica Karp has been named vice president of global government relations for ADM. Karp spent 17 years at Chevron, where she was a leader of the company’s global affairs function. Before that, she worked at the National Security Council as director for human rights and democracy and at the Department of State as senior adviser to the assistant secretary for democracy, human rights, and labor. She also has been a senior foreign policy adviser in the Senate.
ADM has appointed Ron Bandler as vice president and treasurer, succeeding John Stott, who recently took on a new role as president of ADM Investor Services. Bandler previously served as assistant treasurer where he was responsible for foreign exchange risk management, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, cash management, accounts payable, bank relationships, and much more. He has been at ADM for more than 32 years and has held a variety of roles within the finance organization throughout his career.
Ben Craker is joining AgGateway as the organization’s new portfolio manager, effective June 12. He succeeds Dan Be
Maria Gallegos Herrera, USDA RD Californiarne, who retired from the organization on April 30. Craker most recently worked at Kuhn North America as a senior product manager, where he focused on hay tools and specialty crop products.
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The American Feed Industry Association has elected new leadership to its board of directors. Outgoing board Chairman Mike Schuster of Laidig Systems, passed the gavel to Mike Gauss of Kent Nutrition Group, as the new chair of the board. He will serve a one-year term as board chair and will also transition into a one-year role as chairman of the Institute for Feed Education and Research’s (IFEEDER) Board of Trustees. The AFIA Board also voted to accept the nomination of Carlos Gonzalez of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, to be the next chair-elect of the organization. The board also approved seven nominated individuals as additions to AFIA’s Executive Committee: Scott Anderson, California Pet Mill; Frank Goode, ILC Resources; Kevin Schluender, Nutra Blend; Leigh Ann Sayen, The Peterson Company; Kristin Bonham, DSM Nutritional Products; Lisa Norton, Biozyme; and Rob Sheffer, Zinpro Corp.
Hari Avula has been added to the board of directors to Sprouts Farmers Market. Avula has served as chief financial and strategic officer at Clif Bar & Company since May 2021. Before joining Clif Bar, Avula was with Walgreens Boots Alliance where he served as the chief financial officer of global business transformation and digital/IT.
The first female deputy administrator and chief veterinary officer for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Joan Arnoldi passed away on May 10. She was 87. Arnoldi joined APHIS in 1988 to lead the Regulatory Enforcement and Animal Care program, which is now known as the Investigative and Enforcement Services and Animal Care programs. She led the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, for three years and then became associate veterinary services deputy administrator for a short time before becoming the Veterinary Services deputy administrator and chief veterinary officer. She then went on to join the APHIS administrator’s office as an associate administrator. At her request, there will be no services. Donations can be made to the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians Foundation, P.O. Box 6396, Visalia, CA. 93290.
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