OTA Names 2010 Board Members, Officers
Julia Sabin of Smucker Natural Foods, Inc., was re-elected president for a third year by the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA’s) board of directors at the Greenfield, Mass.-based organization’s annual meeting in Washington. Other officers elected for 2010 at the meeting are Sarah Bird of Annie’s, Inc., (VP — U.S.A.); Gunta Vitins of SunOpta, Inc. (VP — Canada); Matt McLean of Uncle Matt’s Organics, Inc. (secretary); Chuck Marcy, Healthy Food Holdings, LLC, (treasurer); and Kristen Holt of Quality Assurance International (Treasurer-Elect).
Elected to the board for the first time were Chris Ely, co-founder, Applegate Farms; Kristin Holt (president, Quality Assurance International; and Vitins. The election elicited an unprecedented number of votes, with over 30 percent of eligible trade member companies casting ballots.
Leslie Zuck, executive director and co-founder of Pennsylvania Certified Organic, was selected to fill an appointed seat on the board.
Additional members of the board include Tony Bedard, Frontier Natural Products Co-op; Tom Cowell, Growers International Organic Sales, Inc.; Nicole Dawes, Late July Organic Snacks; Todd Linsky, Cal-Organic/Grimmway Farms; Melody Meyer, Albert’s Organics; Kelly Shea, WhiteWave Foods; and Craig Weakley, Small Planet Foods, Inc.
Departing board members are Marty Mesh, Florida Organic Growers/Quality Certification Services (joined the board 2001); Lynn Clarkson, Clarkson Grain Co. (joined in 2003); Hélène Bouvier, Organic Ranchers, Inc. (joined in 2004); and Jack Erisman, Goldmine Farms, Inc. (joined in 2007).
OTA’s members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants and retailers.
Elected to the board for the first time were Chris Ely, co-founder, Applegate Farms; Kristin Holt (president, Quality Assurance International; and Vitins. The election elicited an unprecedented number of votes, with over 30 percent of eligible trade member companies casting ballots.
Leslie Zuck, executive director and co-founder of Pennsylvania Certified Organic, was selected to fill an appointed seat on the board.
Additional members of the board include Tony Bedard, Frontier Natural Products Co-op; Tom Cowell, Growers International Organic Sales, Inc.; Nicole Dawes, Late July Organic Snacks; Todd Linsky, Cal-Organic/Grimmway Farms; Melody Meyer, Albert’s Organics; Kelly Shea, WhiteWave Foods; and Craig Weakley, Small Planet Foods, Inc.
Departing board members are Marty Mesh, Florida Organic Growers/Quality Certification Services (joined the board 2001); Lynn Clarkson, Clarkson Grain Co. (joined in 2003); Hélène Bouvier, Organic Ranchers, Inc. (joined in 2004); and Jack Erisman, Goldmine Farms, Inc. (joined in 2007).
OTA’s members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants and retailers.