Costco’s Craig Wilson is the new president of The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) Board of Directors. Wilson, vice president of quality assurance and food safety at Costco Wholesale Corporation, is among a new slate of officers and board members who represent the diversity of today’s food and agriculture industries and will bring unique perspectives to CFI’s mission of earning trust in today’s food system. Wilson was elected by the CFI board at its July meeting in Kansas City.
In addition, the board named Bill Even as vice president. He is the Chief Executive Officer for the National Pork Board and previously served as the Global Industry Relations Lead for DuPont Pioneer. Secretary/Treasurer is Kirk Merritt, executive director of Ohio Soybean Council. Directors elected to the executive committee are David Fikes, Food Marketing Institute; Monica Massey, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.; and Emily McMillan, Chick-Fil-A, Inc.
The CFI Board of Directors includes industry leaders Keith Dailey, The Kroger Company; Robin Kinney, American Farm Bureau Federation; Stewart Leeth, Smithfield Foods; Sean Leighton, Cargill; Tammy McElroy, Sysco Corporation; Debra Miller, Ph.D., National Confectioners Association; Sara Payne, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation; Ernst van Orsouw, Genus/PIC; Judson Vasconcelos, DVM, Ph.D., Merck Animal Health; and Mindy Whittle, Bayer. Serving as CFI CEO is Charlie Arnot and CFI Executive Director is Terry Fleck.
CFI extends its appreciation to the following individuals for their commitment and support to the board as their time serving comes to an end: CFI Board President Doyle Karr, Corteva; John Baugh, Purdue University; Leon Bruner, Grocery Manufacturers Association; Len Heflich, Grupo Bimbo; Philip Lobo, SmithBucklin; and Amy Roady, Illinois Soybean Association.
Now in its 12th year, CFI is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to help today’s food system earn trust, with a vision of a transparent, sustainable food system in which practices align with consumer expectations and the public discussion is well-informed and balanced. CFI represents the diversity of today’s food system through its many members and partners.
At the July meeting, the board approved a multi-year Strategic Direction plan for CFI, which will help members and the entire industry more effectively build trust and continue working on critical topics affecting the industry as it moves forward.
