New FMI Board Aspires to Reflect New Food Realities

Just a week after rolling out a rebranding effort, FMI - the Food Industry Association has named a new board of directors that aims to reflect and influence the evolving business of food retail.

For 2020, FMI has introduced six product suppliers to its board and ushered in a new term chairman, Randy Edeker, chairman, president and CEO of Hy-Vee Inc.

“FMI views the marketplace – in its many manifestations – as the place where the food industry fulfills its mission of feeding and enriching society," said the organization's president and CEO, Leslie Sarasin. "We embrace the full breadth of the food industry, particularly as companies become more interconnected and vertically integrated up and down the supply chain.”

FMI's new officers, who will serve a two-year term, are:

• Chairman: Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee Inc., West Des Moines, Iowa
• President and CEO: Leslie Sarasin, FMI, Arlington, Va.
• Immediate Past Chairman: Joseph Sheridan, Wakefern Food Corp., Keasbey, N.J.
• Vice Chairman, Finance: Brian George, Alex Lee Inc., Hickory, N.C.
• Vice Chairman, Communications: Jerry Golub, Price Chopper Supermarkets, Schenectady, N.Y.
• Vice Chairman, Industry Relations: Kevin Holt, Ahold Delhaize USA, Salisbury, N.C.
• Vice Chairman, Public Affairs: Laura Karet, Giant Eagle Inc., Pittsburgh
• Vice Chairman, Food Safety: Susan Morris, Albertsons Cos., Boise, Idaho
• Vice Chairman, Member Services: Michael Needler Jr., Fresh Encounter Inc., Findlay, Ohio
• Vice Chairman, Product Supplier: Steve Presley, Nestlé USA Inc., Arlington, Va.
• Vice Chairman, Wholesaler: Steve Spinner, United Natural Foods Inc., Providence, R.I.
• Vice Chairman, Independent Operators: Lauri Youngquist, Knowlan's Super Markets Inc., St. Paul, Minn.

The newest product supplier members are:

• Mary Barnard, Mondelez International, East Hanover, N.J.
• Steven Oakland, TreeHouse Foods, Inc., Oak Brook, Ill.
• Michael Potthoff, Anheuser-Busch Cos., LLC, St. Louis
• Steven Williams, PepsiCo Inc., Plano, Texas

The new chairman’s appointees (two-year term) are:

• Tim Figge, Hussmann Corp., Bridgeton, Mo.
• Anthony Hucker, Southeastern Grocers LLC, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Kenneth McGrath, Save-A-Lot Ltd., Earth City, Mo.
• Lori Mitchell-Keller, SAP America Inc., Newtown Square, Pa.
• John Ross, IGA Inc., Chicago
• Randy Skoda, Topco Associates LLC, Elk Grove Village, Ill.
• Tobias Wasmuht, SPAR International, Amsterdam, Netherlands

As a result of its rebrand, the organization is now officially FMI - The Food Industry Association. According to the trade association, the move supports a more interconnected supply chain, with retail as the heart of the food industry. FMI recently expanded its membership to facilitate this evolving view.

A full member listing of FMI’s leadership can be found here.