Specialty Food Association Members Approve New Directors for 2024/25
New York, NY (June 21, 2024) The not-for-profit Specialty Food Association (SFA) welcomes four new directors to its governing board for the 2024/25 term, as voted on and approved by the Association's members. The new Board of Directors and Officers were announced at SFA’s Annual Member Meeting on Thursday, June 20.
The 15-member Board of Directors is responsible for the overall governance of the SFA as a 501(c)(6) tax-exempt organization. Board members are all are actively involved in the business or management of SFA member companies in good standing.
The newly-approved Class of 2027 Board members are:
- Elizabeth Hemphill-Burns BrainJuice
- Loralie Holly Texas Tamale Co./Brazos Legends
- Sarah Masoni (re-elected) Oregon State University Food Innovation Center
- James Ren Thrive Market
- Rodd Willis Dot Foods, Inc.
Each of these Directors will serve a three-year term through June 2027.
"Each year, SFA members help shape the future of the Association by voting on the slate of Board members, and we want to thank all members who took part this year," said Phil Robinson, SFA's Sr. Vice President, Member Development. "We are grateful as well to all the volunteer leaders who will help guide SFA's strategic plan over their coming terms and steer the organization to continued success. The diversity of our Board, with Directors from different backgrounds, experiences, and roles, nicely reflects the dynamic specialty food industry that we serve."
The following Board members were appointed as the Officers for 2024/25:
- Board Chair: Nona Lim, Nona Lim
- Vice Chair: Pierre Abushacra, Firehook Bakery
- Treasurer: Dwight Richmond, Town & Country Markets
- Secretary: Sarah Wallace, The Good Bean
- Immediate Past Chair: Jon Pruden, TASTE Family of Businesses
Directors who are continuing to serve on the Board in 2024/25 are:
Class of 2025
- Julie Busha Slawsa
- Jill Giacomini Basch Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese
- Victoria Ho Sherpa CPG
- Nona Lim Nona Lim
- Jon Pruden TASTE Family of Businesses
Class of 2026
- Pierre Abushacra Firehook Bakery
- Scott Jensen Kosmos Q
- Michael Reich Hanson Faso Sales & Marketing
- Dwight Richmond Town & Country Markets
- Sarah Wallace The Good Bean
Finance Committee
- Dwight Richmond, Chair (ex-officio) Town & Country Markets
- Pierre Abushacra, Firehook Bakery
- Elizabeth Hemphill-Burns, Brainjuice
- Julie Busha, Slawsa
- Scott Jensen, Kosmos Q
- Michael Reich, Hanson Faso Sales & Marketing, Inc.
Nominating Committee
- Victoria Ho, Chair Sherpa CPG
- Jill Giacomini Basch, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese
- Cara Figgins, Former Director, PARTNERS, a Tasteful Choice Company
- Loralie Holly, Texas Tamale Co./Brazos Legends
- Jon Pruden, TASTE Family of Businesses
- James Ren, Thrive Market
DEI Committee
- Sarah Masoni, Chair OSU Food Innovation Center
- Pierre Abushacra, Firehook Bakery
- Elizabeth Hemphill-Burns, Brainjuice
- Loralie Holly, Texas Tamale Co./Brazos Legends
- James Ren, Thrive Market
In addition to the Board of Directors, more than 30 SFA members were appointed to serve on SFA councils and committees for the 2024/25 term.
For more information, visit specialtyfood.com.
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) was founded in 1952 and is the not-for-profit trade association of the $207-billion specialty food industry. Representing more than 3,600 businesses worldwide, SFA champions industry participation and success for a diverse community of makers, buyers, importers, distributors, and service providers by developing resources, information, education, and events that celebrate innovation and inclusivity. SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows as well as the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. The SFA also produces the e-newsletter SFA News Daily, the Trendspotter Panel annual predictions and Fancy Food Show reports, the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report, Today's Specialty Food Consumer research, and the Spill & Dish podcast. Find out more online and connect with SFA on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
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