The Better Seafood Board (BSB) has welcomed aboard a new chairman and set of members on its board of managers. The 15-member organization, formed by Reston, Virginia-based National Fisheries Institute (NFI) in 2007 to fight fraud in the seafood industry, rotates five seats annually.
Dave Wier (pictured above), executive vice president at the Munhall, Pennsylvania-headquartered Fishin’ Company, has assumed the chairmanship of the group. The company is the largest importer of tilapia in the world and one of the largest importers of frozen fish in the USA.
Jodi Blanch, senior quality assurance manager at Gorton’s Inc., has joined the board. Jason Driskill, vice president for seafood at retailer H-E-B has been added. Victor Garrido, quality assurance director for Quirch Foods has been appointed. And Brian Head, vice president of foodservice sales for Trident is a new addition.
Filling the seat that represents the public interest is Mike Kraft, executive director of FISH Standard for Crew. This role was formerly filled by chef and author Barton Seaver.
“We’ve got a great group of industry leaders who are energized about fighting fraud,” said Mark Bowen, NFI’s regulatory program manager and secretariate of the BSB. “When we look for nominations to join the team that manages our group we always find committed, high level professionals willing to step up. It’s heartening.”
The leaders of NFI member companies commit to signing an annual economic integrity pledge that promises to conduct themselves and their business practices in an honest and trustworthy manner and to adhere to industry principles. This year the pledge has been revised to include a section on proper labeling of not just the products but ingredients as well.
“With the addition of this new section the BSB is committed to providing our members the tools and education to ensure they can meet their commitments,” said Bowen.
For 16 years the BSB has worked with companies and aligned groups in the seafood value chain to help buyers recognize its seafood providers have taken extra steps to ensure that their products are properly labeled.
