Coca-Cola, Land O'Lakes Execs Join Foodservice Board
Top executives from Coca-Cola Co., Land O'Lakes and other consumer goods companies are among the newest members of the Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) board.
The WFF announced it has elected four senior leaders to its 2021 Board of Directors and named new positions for its Executive Committee members.
"At this critical time for our industry, the need to adapt to current realities and build new capabilities is evident," said WFF President and CEO Therese Gearhart. "With bold steps and adoption of best practices, we can help partner companies retain and grow their female talent to drive gender equity, as well as help with the distinct challenges women face during the COVID-19 crisis."
Coca-Cola North America's Chief Customer Officer Kathleen Ciaramello, and newly named WFF Board Chair for 2021, says WFF will hold a pivotal role for driving gender equity in the food industry.
"With our strong and passionate Board of Directors, and under the tenacious leadership of WFF's President & CEO, Therese Gearhart, WFF is committed to help organizations accelerate the advancement of female leaders and lay the foundation for an equitable workplace," Ciaramello said.
Board Executive Committee Member and SVP, Chief Accounting Officer at Sysco, Anita Zielinski, has been appointed treasurer and will succeed to chair-elect and chair over the next three years. Zielinski joined Sysco in 2017 and oversees the company's accounting functions, with responsibility for financial accounting and reporting, accounting policy, tax compliance and strategy and internal controls. With more than 57,000 associates, Sysco operates 326 distribution facilities and serves more than 625,000 customer locations worldwide.
WFF Board members serve two successive, three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2021 and concluding Dec. 31, 2026. New Board members include Christina Clarke and Catherine Fox.
Clarke has served as Wingstop's SVP and CMO since Sept. 2019. Clarke joined the Wingstop team in Oct. 2018 as the VP of marketing. Prior to Wingstop, she held many marketing positions at PepsiCo where she led various Frito-Lay North America teams across brand, foodservice, innovation, shopper and portfolio marketing.
Fox is the VP of brand and product marketing for Land O'Lakes, Inc.'s Dairy Foods Foodservice and Retail businesses, which include butter and spreads, cheese, Kozy Shack, licensing and new products. Prior to joining Land O'Lakes, Fox was a leader for 14 years in food marketing with nine years in consumer products at Pillsbury and General Mills.
WFF 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Jean Chick, Principal, Deloitte Consulting, Inc.
- Christina Clarke, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer, Wingstop Restaurants, Inc.
- Catherine Fox, VP of Brand & Product Marketing, Dairy Foods, Land O'Lakes, Inc.
- Alisa Gmelich, Chief Brand Officer, Auntie Anne's
- Blaine Hurst, Vice Chairman, Panera Bread, LLC
- Katherine Jaspon, SVP, Chief Financial Officer, Dunkin' Brands, Inc.
- Julie Juvera, SVP, Crew Resources, Fry Cook & Cashier, Raising Cane's
- Kelly Lefferts, EVP, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary, Bloomin' Brands
- Jamie McKeon, SVP, Demand Creation, Rich Products Corporation
- Heather Neary, Former President, Auntie Anne's
- Coley O'Brien, Chief People Officer, The Wendy's Co.
- Shawn O'Grady, Group President, Convenience & Foodservice; SVP, Global Revenue Development, General Mills
- Salli Setta, Immediate Past Chair, WFF and Former President and Chief Concept Officer, Red Lobster
- Merary Simeon, VP, Diversity & Engagement, PepsiCo North America
- Libby Wanamaker, VP, Talent Experience, Chick-fil-A
- Jennifer Williamson, SVP, Brand and Communications, Sodexo USA, Inc.
- Colleen Wolf, SVP & Chief Information Officer, Ventura Foods
- Loraine Yalch, SVP, Client Solutions Group & Business Development, ARMADA Supply Chain Solutions, LLC