Berner Food & Beverage, LLC recently introduced several new members of the company’s leadership team. KELLY DIAMOND, formerly vice president of operations, has been named chief operations officer. In her new role, Diamond will manage all areas of operations, supply chain and mechanical engineering. Before joining Berner in 2017, Diamond spent nearly a decade at Dean Foods. She also brings experience from positions at Woodward, Inc. and Anderson Packaging, Inc. DAVID DUNAVANT has joined Berner as chief financial officer (CFO). He brings over 15 years of CFO experience, having worked for the Kellogg Company, Monogram Foods, LEDIC Management Group and Hilton Worldwide. SHELIA KOLDEN has also joined Berner as director of procurement, sales & operations planning. She will manage multiple business segments, including buying and vendor relations, supply chain and operations. Her most recent position was procurement manager at Monogram Foods.

United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) has tapped MARK BUSHWAY as its new supply chain director, effective Jan. 3, 2022. Bushway, who currently serves as president of UNFI’s Atlantic Region, will lead the company’s fulfillment network across North America, consisting of 56 distributions centers serving more than 30,000 customer locations. Bushway spent the last eight years as vice president of distribution for UNFI’s Atlantic Region, responsible for operational and financial performance at eight distribution centers. He also served as director of real estate and construction, and held operations roles over his 18-year tenure with UNFI. Before joining the company, Bushway spent 14 years in leadership positions for C&S Wholesale Grocers.

SCOTT BENTLEY recently announced his decision to retire as general manager of World Dairy Expo (WDE) after eight years of service to the organization. During his time as general manager, WDE saw the growth of its trade show, dairy cattle show and educational programming.

EAS Consulting Group has welcome MAGED SHARAF to its management team as senior director, labeling, cannabis and claims consulting services. In his new role, Sharaf will be responsible for managing and providing label review and claims substantiation consulting services for conventional foods, animal foods, and dietary supplements. He will also oversee client projects related to product detentions, NDI submissions and cannabis. A consultant with EAS for a number of years, Sharaf facilitates food and dietary supplement label compliance reviews, and is well-versed in product specifications, development and training services.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) has appointed Fratney Miller as its new general counsel. She previously served as an attorney for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), where she focused on state and federal law and policy concerning SNAP and Medicaid programs.

TYLER HAWES, creator of Grand Ferry Capital, will become the new CEO of Forever Cheese through a partnership with Forever founders MICHELE BUSTER and PIERLUIGI SINI. Hawes has worked with Forever Cheese as a customer and supplier, forming a decade-long relationship with company founders.

He brings over 15 years of executive leadership experience in the specialty food category, most recently serving as president and chief operator of Roland Foods, a specialty importer and distributor. Hawes started his cheese industry career at Artisanal Premium Cheese in 2003, and later with Larkin Cold Storage in 2006.

PETER FOX has been tapped as CEO of SOMIC Packaging, Inc. A 30-year packaging industry veteran, Fox has served as senior vice president of sales since joining the company in 2014. He began his packaging career in research positions at Kraft Foods and The Pillsbury Company.

CAITLIN BALAGULA has been promoted to legislative assistant and staff assistant for the Democratic staff of the House Agriculture Committee. Balagula most recently served as staff assistant and interned for House Ag Committee Chairman David Scott.

Bud Donovan, Past ICDA President, Passes

Bud Donovan, 85, died Dec. 6. Donovan’s early cheese industry career included positions with Dorman Cheese in Monroe, WI, and Schreiber Foods in Green Bay, WI. He eventually became an independent cheese broker, and served as president of the International Cheese & Deli Association (ICDA) in 1979-80.