LOS ANGELES — Unified Grocers here said it has named Christine Neal to the newly created position of senior vice president, finance. Neal, who has been treasurer since joining Unified in 2003 and retains that title, will continue to report to Richard Martin, executive vice president, finance and administration, and chief financial officer. Among her new responsibilities will be to establish a centralized risk-oversight function on a companywide basis. Unified said Neal has played a leading role in the past few years in negotiating and managing the company's lines of credit to finance the member-owned cooperative's expansion.
SINCLAIR APPOINTED TO FMI BOARD
ARLINGTON, Va. — Food Marketing Institute last week said it has elected Jack Sinclair, executive vice president of the grocery division for Wal-Mart's U.S. operations, to its board of directors. Sinclair joined Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart in January 2008 after a long career in retail and finance in the United Kingdom. He served on the board of directors at Safeway PLC during its merger with Morrisons, and was the European development director for SB Capital. Sinclair joined Wal-Mart from McCurrach, a U.K.-based merchandising company.
CARGILL'S PAGE JOINS GMA'S BOARD
WASHINGTON — Grocery Manufacturers Association here has elected Gregory Page, the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Cargill Inc., to its board of directors. “The association is fortunate to have a proven leader and industry veteran like Greg Page seated at its board table,” said Pamela Bailey, president and CEO of GMA, in a statement. “His expertise will serve the membership well as the consumer packaged goods industry navigates a challenging economy and pursues an ambitious agenda.” Page began his 35-year tenure with Cargill as a trainee assigned to its feed division. He has since held positions both domestically and abroad, including work with a poultry-processing operation start-up in Thailand and Cargill's financial market groups.
