Specialty Food Association Announces Board Officers, Directors

The Specialty Food Association announced the election of four board officers and its new slate of directors. Those serving on the board are all members of the not-for-profit trade association that represents all segments of the $120.5 billion U.S. specialty food industry and member companies abroad. The board term is two years.

The following members were elected to serve as officers for the 2016 -2018 term:

Chairperson: Becky Renfro Borbolla, Renfro Foods

Vice Chairperson: Matt Nielsen, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas

Board Financial Officer: William Booker III, Smithfield Specialty Foods Group

Secretary: Trish Pohonka, European Imports Ltd.

Shawn McBride, Foah International, will continue to serve as Past Chairperson

Elected to two-year terms were:

Charlie Apt, Sarabeth’s Kitchen

Dan W. Dowe, Artisanal Cheese

Susan Eriksen, Char Crust

David Gremmels, Rogue Creamery

Kirsten Hogan, UNFI

Lori King, Stonewall Kitchen

Tom Knibbs, Urban Accents

Emilio Mignucci, Di Bruno Bros.

Greg O'Neill, Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine

Todd Rubin, The Republic of Tea

Lee Zalben, Peanut Butter & Co.

Directors who concluded their service were: Jack Acree, Saffron Road Foods; Cara Figgins, Partners, a tasteful choice company; Case Fischer, Fischer & Weiser Specialty Foods; Arnim von Friedeburg, CMA Global Partners – German Foods; and Patricia Lobel, Avenue Gourmet.

Established in 1952 in New York, the not-for-profit trade Specialty Food Association provides its 3,200 members in the United States and abroad with resources, knowledge and connections to champion and nurture their companies in an always-evolving marketplace. The association owns and produces the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows, and presents the sofi Awards honoring excellence in specialty food.