PLMA appoints Peggy Davies as acting president

Peggy Davies has been named as acting president of the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) following the death of longtime president Brian Sharoff late last month.

Davies, who has served as vice president of association relations since 2016, will lead New York-based PLMA as its executive board conducts a search for a permanent successor, the private-brands industry trade group said Thursday.

Sharoff, who passed away on May 23 following a brief illness, served as PLMA’s president for nearly 40 years, taking the post shortly after the association was founded.

“For four decades, Brian was the face of PLMA,” Lisa Manzoline, PLMA chairman and director of sales for Reynolds Consumer Products, said in a statement. “It is now our responsibility to focus on the future. As the board of directors, we understand this is a difficult and challenging time for many different reasons. We have full confidence that Peggy Davies will be a capable and dynamic leader of PLMA at this crucial juncture — one who is familiar with our member base and the unique challenges we face for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.”

Davies (left) joined PLMA as vice president in 2016. Before that, she was elected to the association’s board in the early 1990s. During two terms, she served on or chaired the programming, trade relations and communications committees. She was elected chairman for two terms, covering 2003 and 2004, in which time she focused on expanding PLMA’s education for industry executives, among other initiatives.

Related:PLMA President Brian Sharoff dies at 77

“I’m honored and deeply grateful to the PLMA executive committee and board of directors for entrusting me with this tremendous responsibility,” Davies commented. “As we deal with Brian’s loss, we will best honor his decades-long legacy by carrying on his vision, which we have worked together to build on these last four years. I have been inspired by my close relationship with him for more than 25 years, and with our outstanding and dedicated staff, I am eager to carry forward the exceptional programs we created.”

Davies’ career also includes three decades of executive experience in the private-label industry. At Daymon Associates from 1985 to 1989, she helped regional grocer Wegmans Food Markets build its private-brand program. After that, she entered the manufacturing business as vice president of private-label sales for Comstock Michigan Fruit-Agrilink-Birds Eye. From 1999 to 2015, Davies served as foodservice general manager for the ingredient business at McCain Foods USA, based in Chicago. Also, in 2012, she founded Women Impacting Storebrand Excellence (WISE), a nonprofit professional development organization that promotes diversity and inclusion in the store brand industry.

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“Peggy has the experience and qualifications needed and is 100% ready to carry forward the important work of the association from day one,” Manzoline added.