ORGANIC TRADE GROUP ELECTS NEW OFFICERS

GREENFIELD, Mass. -- Debra Boyle, president and chief executive officer of Pro Organics Marketing, a produce distributor in Burnaby, British Columbia, was named president of the Organic Trade Association here recently. Her term will expire in 2002.

oming year are: Jesse Singerman, chief executive officer, Blooming Prairie Cooperative Warehouse, Iowa City, Iowa, and Phil Margolis, president, Neshaminy Valley Natural Foods Distributor, Ivyland, Pa., vice presidents; Joe Smillie, senior vice president of Quality Assurance International, San Diego, secretary; and Gene Kahn, president of Small Planet Foods, Sedro-Woolley, Wash., treasurer. Board member Dave DeCou, co-owner and general manager, Organically Grown Co., Eugene, Ore., was re-appointed to serve as the sixth member of the OTA's executive committee.

Also, OTA members elected four candidates to serve on the OTA board of directors until 2004. They are LaRhea Pepper, executive officer of Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative, and president and CEO of Organic Essentials, O'Donnell, Texas; Arran Stephens, president and founder of Nature's Path Foods, Delta, British Columbia, Canada, re-elected; Theresa Marquez, director of marketing for Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative, LaFarge, Wis.; and Marty Mesh, executive director of Florida Certified Organic Growers & Consumers, Gainesville, Fla.

Continuing to serve on the board for the current year are Michael Gilliland, former CEO of Wild Oats Markets, Boulder, Colo.; Andy Grant, president of Grant Family Farms; Nancy Hirshberg, director, natural resources, Stonyfield Farm; and Tonya Pavich, vice president of organic sales, Natural Selection/Earthbound Farm. One appointed seat is yet to be filled.