Kincannon & Reed Fills Board Positions for Fall Creek Farm & Nursery
October 26, 2017 – Executive search firm Kincannon & Reed has placed Roland Wolfram and Elin Miller as new members of the board of directors at Fall Creek Farm & Nursery.
Mr. Wolfram previously served as vice president and general manager of emerging markets at Nike. He had been with Nike for 15 years and had previously served as VP of global sales. Prior to that, he was the VP and GM of the former Asia Pacific region where he oversaw the rapid growth of the region during the lead up to the Beijing Games. He was also previously Nike’s VP of global operations and technology.
Ms. Miller is a veteran agricultural and management executive with more than 30 years of senior leadership experience in the corporate, government and non-profit sectors. She is founder and owner of UmpquaNut Farm and Umpqua Vineyard in Oregon, and principal of Elin Miller Consulting LLC, which provides high-level strategic management counsel to major corporations and organizations. Ms. Miller formerly served in a number of top global leadership positions at Dow Chemical Co., including global VP of public affairs, VP of pest management, and vice president Asia Pacific.
Outside Board Directors
“In our family business, employing outside board members has greatly enriched our business decision-making processes,” said Dave Brazelton, president and CEO of Fall Creek. “It has allowed us to draw upon the invaluable expertise of high level, seasoned executives who have a genuine interest in helping us reach our goals and fulfill our mission,” he said. “As our company grows both in size and complexity, we have seen tremendous value come from having a professional board and this recent decision to add two more board positions brings new skill-sets and expertise that further enhances our strategy development and decision-making.”
“The search committee reviewed a number of highly-qualified board candidates,” said Mr. Brazelton. “It was a difficult choice. Ultimately, we believed that Elin’s extensive experience at many levels including CEO in the agriculture supply industry and her government positions would bring a unique perspective to our operations.”
“In looking at Roland’s rise within Nike, one of the most innovative companies that has ever existed, we saw someone with tremendously varied experiences at many levels and geographies which is so relevant to developing Fall Creek’s global growth strategies,” Mr. Brazelton says. “We are confident both will bring their expansive knowledge and fresh perspectives to our board.”
Fall Creek Farm & Nursery is a Lowell, OR-based blueberry nursery stock and blueberry breeding company serving commercial fruit growers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru and other regions in Latin America, Greater Europe and North Africa.
Kincannon & Reed focuses exclusively on the food, agribusiness, and life sciences sectors and serves clients from its offices in the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The firm recently placed former Cargill executive Manoj Sahoo as chief commercial officer of Calyxt Inc., a fast-growing, consumer-oriented agricultural company.
Luring Directors
Director recruiting has grown markedly more challenging, report recruiters who conduct searches in that area. According to Egon Zehnder, heightened expectations now placed on boards have elevated both the professional standards and personal commitment required of all directors.
At the same time, many boards find that the supply of independent-minded “board experienced” directors – especially those who can add vital forms of specialized skills and expertise – is limited. Such candidates are widely sought after yet sometimes hesitant to take on the intensive responsibilities now required of board service.
As a result, companies continue to turn to executive search firms to help them lure new board members. Most in demand are women, senior leaders with global experience, ethnically diverse professionals and Millennials.
Here’s a brief look at a small selection of search firms and their recent board work taken from the Hunt Scanlon Media newswire archives:
Executive search firm Diversified Search has placed Christopher M. Connor as a member of the board of directors at International Paper Company in Memphis. Managing director Lauren E. Smith led the assignment. Mr. Connor retired as executive chairman of the Sherwin-Williams Co. in December.
Korn Ferry assisted Mutual of America Life Insurance Company in adding Dr. Ellen Ochoa to its board of directors. Alan Guarino, vice chairman in the firm’s CEO and board services practice, led the search along with senior client partner Maureen Ryan. Dr. Ochoa is the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Spencer Stuart assisted Fred’s Inc. (Fred’s Pharmacy) in adding Christopher W. Bodine, Peter J. Bocian, and Michael K. Bloom to its board of directors. The directorship placements are part of an ongoing reconstitution process at Fred’s in which the board has been actively engaged, with the assistance of Spencer Stuart.
Epsen Fuller Group placed Anita Allen as a member of the board of directors at Tingley Rubber Corporation. The company sought a director that would bring diversity of thought and a strong financial background. Ms. Allen, founder and CEO of Allen Advisory Group, a boutique management consultancy, formerly was a consulting partner at KPMG.
The Onstott Group assisted A.I.M. Mutual Insurance Companies in the recruitment of Leslie E. Greis to serve on the company’s board of directors. Joe Onstott, managing director, led the assignment. Ms. Greis is the founder and managing member of investment firm, Perennial Capital Advisors, LLC.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
