The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) has named two new directors. Megan Rider is now the domestic marketing director, and Ashley Heimbigner is the communications director.
Rider joined ASMI in 2013, working with the international program, and most recently served as the domestic marketing manager. Prior to joining the Juneau-based Institute, the lifelong Alaskan worked in the Office of the Governor, as well as for a lobbying firm. The domestic marketing program is responsible for executing strategic Alaska Seafood promotions with foodservice and retail partners across the United States. Rider was named interim domestic marketing program director in November 2018.
“It is a great honor and privilege to continue to work on behalf of the Alaska seafood industry,” she commented.
Heimbigner joined ASMI in January of 2018 as international marketing specialist. Prior to that she worked as tourism and sales manager at Visit Anchorage, and also held the communications manager position at Alaskan Brewing Co. in Juneau.
As communications director, Heimbigner will oversee the brand and messaging priorities of the whole organization, act as a spokesperson to press and trade media, and manage ASMI’s domestic consumer public relations, in-state and fleet communications. She replaces Jeremy Woodrow, who was named executive director in June of this year.
“Working with the ASMI international program provided an incredible understanding of our efforts to promote the quality and value of the Alaska Seafood brand in our global markets,” said Heimbigner. “I am pleased to have the opportunity to further support these efforts as communications director.”
ASMI is a public-private partnership between the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry established to foster economic development of a renewable natural resource. It plays a key role in the positioning Alaska’s seafood industry as a competitive market-driven food production industry and premium global brand.
