The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has announced its “First Penguin Leadership Program,” a development initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the United States frozen and refrigerated foods industry. At the same time, the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-headquartered trade association has formed its inaugural class of industry rising stars, a distinguished group of professionals poised to shape the future of the categories.
Named after the “First Penguin” concept, coined by Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch to recognize those who take bold risks in pursuit of progress, the exclusive program aims to empower high-potential leaders with critical industry knowledge, leadership acumen, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
“The First Penguin Leadership Program represents NFRA’s deep commitment to fostering innovation and leadership within the frozen and refrigerated foods industry,” said Tricia Greyshock, the association’s president and chief executive officer. “This initiative will help build a strong leadership pipeline, ensuring that our categories remain at the forefront of retail and consumer trends.”
A Transformative Leadership Experience
The First Penguin Leadership Program is a year-long, immersive experience that blends leadership development with deep industry insights. Participants will gain unparalleled access to executive mentorship, guided industry learning, and hands-on case study projects, culminating in a high-profile group presentation at the 2025 NFRA Convention in Orlando, Florida.
The program will include:
• Exclusive Leadership Workshops – Featuring top industry executives, leadership topics and business strategists
• Retail & Supply Chain Immersion – Retail store visits and discussions on category management, shopper insights, and merchandising strategies
• High-Impact Networking – Connections with industry veterans, NFRA board members, and peers across manufacturers, retailers, and sales agents
• Executive-Level Recognition – Graduation and recognition at the NFRA Convention
First Penguin Leadership Class
The 2025 First Penguin Leadership Class is composed of a select group of people, representing bright future leaders from across NFRA member organizations. These individuals were chosen for their leadership potential, industry expertise, and commitment to driving innovation in frozen and refrigerated foods. They are:
• Samantha Beam – Commercial Development Manager, Nestlé USA
• Cody Besgrove – Senior Analyst, Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG)
• Eddy Birth – Broker Manager, Large Outlet West, Mars Ice Cream
• Navi Bola – Senior Manager, Product Development, Own Brands, Albertsons Companies Inc.
• Stevie Bryk – Senior Market Research Development Analyst, Schneider Nationa
Ryan Busse – Account Executive, Palermo Villa Inc.
• Tony D. Caloroso – Business Development Manager, Schraad Sales & Marketing
• Conor Carpenter – Senior Brand Manager, Kellanova
• Paula Colatriano – Account Executive, JOH
• Michael Crawford – National Account Manager, Rich Products
• Grace Donnelly – Business Manager, Acosta Sales & Marketing
• Jeremiah Freeman – Dairy Manager/Assistant Store Manager, Babbs Supermarket
• Peter Fulton – Senior Sales Manager, Lactalis Retail Dairy
• Armin Hadziomerovic – Category Manager, Houchens Food Group
• Tyler Harvey – Regional Sales Manager, Dairy Farmers of America
• Lisa Heard – Brand Manager, InnovAsian Cuisin
• Jasmine Herazo – Account Executive, Quirch Foods
• Alexis Herbert – Business Manager, Daymon Worldwide
• Casey Hom – Director, Business Planning, The Coca-Cola Company
• Sandra Horn – Director of Sales Development ,Perishables, CA Ferolie
• Peggy Jackson – Director of Brand Marketing, Simek’s
• Shane Jacobson – Senior Category Manager – Frozen, Associated Food Stores
• Natalie Larson – Manager, Strategic Partnerships, United States Cold Storage
• Kim Larsson – Director of Sales, Painterland Sisters
• Daniel Menkens – Senior Director of Sales, Albertsons Team, Alliance Sales and Marketing
• Anne Wallis Nelson – Associate Marketing Manager – Digital, The Pictsweet Company
• Kristin Niles – Senior Manager, Business Unit Sales & Strategy, Frozen Meals & Frozen Mexican Foods, The Kraft Heinz Company
• Alyssa Panzarella – Director of Marketing, Mrs. T’s Pierogies
• Isabelle Steiner – Regulatory Manager, Rosina Food Products
• Jamie Yobbi – Category Manager – Dairy, Giant Eagle
