PepsiCo, Inc. named Jon Banner senior vice president, global strategy and planning. Banner will be a senior member of PepsiCo’s global communications team which is responsible for synchronizing, coordinating and planning the company’s communications efforts worldwide.

 

PepsiCo, Inc. appointed Debra Crew as president, PepsiCo Americas Beverages. In this new expanded role, Crew will oversee PepsiCo’s Gatorade and Tropicana business in North America, its Latin America Beverages business and the company’s North America warehouse sales organization and Beverage Growth Ventures Group.  

 

Unilever completed the sale of its North America frozen meals business, conducted under the Bertolli and P.F. Chang’s brand names, to ConAgra Foods, Inc., for total cash consideration of $267 million, subject to adjustment.

 

Ruiz Foods named Rachel Cullen as CEO. Cullen succeeds Kim Ruiz Beck, who resigned in February.

 

Kraft Foods agreed to sell its majority stake in Back to Nature Foods to private equity firm Brynwood Partners.

 

Warehouse, Inc., a distributor of specialty food products in the US, appointed two regional managers. Ed Kauffeld will be regional vice president of the Eastern Region of the US, and Barry Weinstein will be general manager of the New York market. 

 

Dean Foods Co. will spin off its Silk Soy Milk and Horizon Brands into a new company, WhiteWave Foods Co.

 

The Hain Celestial Group announced the planned retirement of Ira J. Lamel, executive vice president and chief financial officer.  

 

John Ruff, formerly senior vice president of Kraft Foods, is the new president of the Institute of Food Technologists. 

 

Global Fresh Foods appointed Mark Barnekow as its CEO.

 

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Hall of Achievement Award was presented to Richard Jurgens, chairman and CEO of Hy-Vee, Inc. and Dean Pappas, CEO of Clement Pappas and Company, Inc. The award is the highest honor given by the association. In addition, GMA presented the 2012 Industry Collaboration Leadership Award to Joe Sheridan, president and COO of Wakefern Food Corporation.

 

Dr. Leon Bruner, chief science officer of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, announced the appointment of Emilia C. Lonardo as vice president of consumer product safety and science policy. Lonardo brings more than 30 years of professional experience, most recently in regulatory intelligence and policy at Johnson & Johnson. In another announcement, GMA appointed Elise Fennig as its vice president, industry affairs. Fennig comes to GMA from the American Frozen Food Institute.

 

Alfa Laval acquired Gamajet Cleaning Systems, a provider of high-impact cleaning machines, targeting the industrial and sanitary processing industries.

 

Nilfisk-Advance Group announced that Jeff Barna has joined the company as president & general manager of Nilfisk-Advance US, the company’s American headquarters located in Plymouth, MN. 

 

Phoenix Contact USA, a manufacturer of electronic components and automation technology, named Spencer Bolgard vice president and general manager. 

 

Provisur Technologies, Inc., a global provider of food processing equipment, announced the promotion of Russ Stroner to director of sales, Americas business unit.

 

Harry DeLonge joined Aquatech International Corporation’s WATERTRAK team as a senior advisor for its food and beverage industry division. DeLonge was a former vice president at PepsiCo International.

 

Dorner Manufacturing Corp. President and CEO Richard Ryan died in a motorcycle accident on September 8 while traveling in the western US. Ryan began his career with Dorner in October 2005 as COO. In June, he was appointed president and CEO following the company’s acquisition by Incline Equity Partners. Prior to joining Dorner, Ryan held executive management positions at Rockwell Automation. He also served on PMMI’s board of directors.