The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) jointly announced on January 31 that the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats has selected Julia Wells of The Pictsweet Company as its 2014 Frozen Food Hall of Fame inductee. She will be honored at a dinner at the Manchester Grand Hyatt on February 22, 2014, during the AFFI Frozen Food Convention in San Diego, California.
Ms. Wells is the vice president of marketing services for the Bells, Tennessee-based frozen vegetable company, and has spent her entire career dedicated to building and promoting the Pictsweet brand. She was the first female elected to The Food Institute’s board of directors in that organization’s more than 100-year history, and has deep connections with AFFI, having chaired its nutrition data base, convention and category promotion committees. In 2007 she was chairman of AFFI’s board of directors, and currently chairs AFFI’s legislative affairs committee and serves on the Frozen Food Foundation board of directors.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Ms. Wells has been active in many local civic organizations. She is a Girl Scouts leader and board member, an American Red Cross recruiter, a Relay for Life volunteer and chairman of Tennessee Girls State, a youth leadership and citizenship training program.
“AFFI is proud to honor Julia Wells for her distinguished career in promoting frozen foods. She has been instrumental in helping The Pictsweet Company grow and has been a true pioneer in championing frozen foods in our nation’s capital and to the American consumer,” said AFFI President and CEO Kraig R. Naasz. “Thanks to Julia’s tireless efforts, Americans have a deeper appreciation for the key role frozen foods play in our daily lives.”
“NFRA is pleased to recognize the achievements of Julia Wells and her induction into the Frozen Food Hall of Fame,” said NFRA President and CEO Skip Shaw. “It’s the dedication of individuals like her who make the growth and continued success of the frozen food industry possible. I believe it’s quite fitting that Julia will be joining her father, James O. Tankersley, who was inducted into the Frozen Food Hall of Fame in 2005.”
The Distinguished Order of Zerocrats is an organization whose mission is to maintain the tradition of promoting the image and advancement of the frozen food business. The Zerocrats established the Frozen Food Hall of Fame in 1990 to honor individuals who have helped shape the industry with their hard work and dedication.
