Daniel Mathieson has been tapped as the next president of the Americas for Driscoll’s. Mathieson is currently the CEO at Zespri, the world's largest kiwifruit company, located in Singapore. In the coming months he will transition to Driscoll’s and move his family back to the United States.
Daniel Mathieson, ZespriStacy McBride has been named Husch Blackwell Strategies’ first executive vice president of federal government affairs. She previously was a principal. Before coming to Husch Blackwell Strategies, she was the chief of staff to then-Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and was staff director on the Senate Rules Committee.
Darren Carter has been named the new vice president of retail sales-east at Hormel Foods. He previously was the company’s vice president of sales and strategy. He succeeds Pat Schwab, who announced his retirement after serving 37 years with the company.
Michael Woods has been appointed as the new CEO of the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts. He brings over 30 years of experience to the role, previously working as the manager of the Division of Natural Resources within the Illinois Department of Agriculture. He replaces Grant Hammer, who announced his departure from the association effective Dec. 31.
Stella Qian has been promoted to director of global programs administration at the U.S. Grains Council. She most recently was the senior manager of global ethanol market development.
Kathrine Ditmore has joined Farm Credit of the Virginias’ agribusiness lending team as a relationship manager. She previously served as a credit analyst at CoBank and a financial analyst at Farm Credit Mid-America.
Jesse McCurry has taken a new job with Adams Brown as an ag brand ambassador. He previously worked for Kansas Grain Sorghum as the executive director.
Renee Fordyce, Missouri Soybean AssociationThe Missouri Soybean Association has elected Renee Fordyce to serve as the president of the organization for one year. She has been on the board for over 10 years and previously served as the vice president. In addition to Fordyce, Brooks Hurst was re-elected as the association’s vice president, Cody Brock was selected as secretary, and Garrett Riekhof was elected to serve as treasurer.The United Sorghum Checkoff Program has added Chef Chase Obenchain as its inaugural corporate chef consultant. Obenchain is a North Carolina native and has worked as innovation chef at Campbell’s Soup Company.
The American Sheep Industry Association has elected three new representatives to its executive board: Kevin Melvin of New Jersey, Larry Hopkins of Indiana and Rodney Kott of Texas will replace Laurie Hubbard, region 1, Anne Crider, region 3, and Tammy Fisher, region 5, respectively.
Fifteen new members have been appointed to serve on USDA’s Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers. They are: Sarah E. Bell, Alabama; Amalia Zimmerman-Lommel, California; Jacqueline Bido, Florida; Sedrick K. Rowe Jr., Georgia; Jeremy L. Hendrix, Louisiana; Carolyn G. Jones, Mississippi; Delmar Stamps, Mississippi; Anita Lee, New York; Julian R. Mangano, New York; Arnetta Cotton, Oklahoma; Elsa Sanchez, Pennsylvania; Willette M. Crawford, South Carolina; Kimberly M. Ratcliff, Texas; Christina Chanes, U.S. Virgin Islands-U.S. Territories; and Mercy Kariuki-McGee, Washington.
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The International Dairy Foods Association has announced the new members of the organization’s executive council, and the new directors for the group’s five Industry segment boards, which cover fluid milk, ice cream, cheese, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy-derived ingredients.
The new officers include Chair Patricia D. Stroup, senior vice president and chief procurement officer of Nestlé S.A./CEO, Nestrade S.A.; Vice Chair Mike Durkin, president and CEO of Leprino Foods Co.; Secretary Terry Brockman, chief business officer of Saputo Dairy Division USA; Treasurer David Nelsen, group vice president of manufacturing at Albertsons Cos.; and Immediate Past Chair David Ahlem, CEO and president of Hilmar Cheese Co. The new chair of the Cheese Board is Kurt Epprecht, owner and vice president of cheese quality and dairy policy at Great Lakes Cheese Co. Vice chair is Sheryl Meshke, president and CEO of the Associated Milk Producers. Chair of the Fluid Milk Board is Joe Diglio, president and CEO of Michigan Milk Producers Association. The vice chair is Tim Kelly, senior vice president and general manager of Shamrock Foods Company.
The new chair of the Ice Cream Board is Andy Jacobs, CEO of Turkey Hill Dairy, and vice chair is Richard Graeter, president and CEO of Graeter’s Ice Cream Company. The chair of the Ingredients Board is Daragh Maccabee, CEO, Idaho Milk Products, and vice chair is Gustavo Acosta, director global purchasing and dairy, Abbott. The new chair of the Yogurt and Cultured Products Board is Courtney Bidney, director of labeling and regulatory compliance at General Mills. The vice chair is Marc De Schutter, chief cycles and procurement officer of Danone North America.
The International Food Information Council has added Milton Stokes to its team as the new senior director of food and nutrition. Before coming to IFIC he was a consultant to commodity boards, public relations agencies, restaurants, and startups in food, nutrition, and agriculture.
IFIC also welcomed new members to the board of trustees. They are: Arti Arora, The Coca-Cola Co.; Regan Bailey, Texas A&M University System; Regina Benjamin, Bayou Clinic Inc., and former U.S. surgeon general; Susan Bond, Kerry, Inc.; Jessica Campbell, General Mills; Russ Dyer, Mondelēz International; Mario Ferruzzi, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Jeneen Fields, Purdue University; Simin Meydani, Tufts University; Amy Preston, The Hershey Co.; Tia Rains, Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc.; Dojin Ryu, University of Missouri-Columbia; Barbara Schneeman, University of California, Davis; Timothy Sellnow, University of Central Florida; Anna Maria Siega-Riz, University of Massachusetts- Amherst; Jessica Smith, Mars Inc.; and Jeffrey Zachwieja, PepsiCo.
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