New officers and board members of the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW) and the World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO) were announced during the Global Cold Chain Alliance-affiliated trade associations’ virtual membership meeting last week.
Holding an annual get-together in this manner was unprecedented. For 128 years without interruption, through times of war and peace, fair and foul weather, the IARW and its predecessor National Association of Refrigerated Warehouses namesake held annual conventions across the continental USA and beyond for membership to meet and greet the actual way – face-to-face, pressing the flesh and slapping backs, up front and personal. Sadly, the 129th IARW-WFLO scheduled to take place May 5-8 in Bonita Springs, Florida, was not to be due to company travel bans, venue closures and social distance restrictions imposed by governments to suppress the spread of novel coronavirus that as of May 12 has been attributed to the deaths of more than 286,000 people around the world.
So the Arlington, Virginia-headquartered trade associations went the video conferencing route to elect leadership for the 2020-21 term. In so doing, Ron Buford of Premier Refrigerated Warehouse (pictured above) was tapped to serve as chairman of the IARW’s board of directors. He replaced Andrew B. Janson of MTC Logistics.
Other new IARW officers elected for the coming year were Manuel C. Kabana of Friopuerto Investment, who will serve as vice chairman, and Anthony M. Leo of RLS Logistics, who is now treasurer.
For the IARW-at-large seat, coming on for a three-year term is Rich Burke of KPAC Cold Storage. Harry Halpert of MTC Logistics, and Carlos Rodriguez of AGRO Merchants, have both been reelected.
IARW regional representatives joining the board for three-year terms are Scott Albers of Nor-Am Cold Storage (Heartland Region), Tom Brennan of Hall’s Warehouse (North Atlantic Region), and Karen Reece of Eskimo Cold Storage (Southeastern Region).
WFLO Board of Governors
Brian Beazer of WCS Logistics was elected as 2020-21 chairman of WFLO board of governors. Other officers tapped were Daniel Kaplan of Polaris Cold Storage and Rack Builders Inc., who will serve as vice chairman, and Greg Laurin of Conestoga Cold Storage, who is the newly elected treasurer.
On February 29th of this year, 2019-20 WFLO Chairman Don Dick died unexpectedly. In saluting his service to the association and passion for the industry, the WFLO board of governors and the association members granted approval to honor the dearly departed by maintaining the position of WFLO immediate past chairman be in the name of Don Dick for the coming year.
New nominees for the WFLO board of governors for three-year terms are Niels Lundgaard-Svenstrup of Coldstar and Tom Poe of Crystal Distribution Services.
The following board members have been reelected for additional three-year terms: Adam Forste of Lineage Logistics, Arne Martinsen of Transmar Ltd, Mike Pokel of Midwest Refrigerated, and Kirk Robertson of Terra Vsta Capital.
