GMA to Honor CPG Leaders at Exec Conference
Richard G. Wolford, retired chairman, president and CEO of Del Monte Foods, and Campbell Soup Co. president and CEO Douglas R. Conant will receive the 2011 GMA Hall of Achievement Awards at the Washington-based trade organization’s upcoming Executive Conference in August.
“GMA Hall of Achievement Award winners have in common a record of extraordinary leadership, a steadfast commitment to the consumer packaged goods industry, and uncompromising personal integrity,” said Pamela G. Bailey, the group’s president and CEO. “Based on these criteria, there could be no more obvious choices for this honor than Doug Conant and Rick Wolford. They represent the best of what our industry and the American business community at large has to offer.”
Doug Conant became just the 11th leader of Campbell in its 140-year history when he was appointed president and CEO in January 2001.His 25 years of food industry experience at General Mills, Kraft and Nabisco helped him pull Campbell out of a precipitous decline in market value and considerably boost the company’s financial profile. Under his leadership, the company also earned the 2010 Catalyst Award for helping women develop and advance their careers. In September 2010, Conant revealed plans to retire this coming July. An active member of the GMA board of directors since 2001, he served as chairman from January 2008 through January 2010.Conant additionally chaired GMA’s Government Affairs Council, is a past chairman of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and is a member of the Consumer Goods Forum.
Rick Wolford’s food industry career began in 1967, when he joined the finance department at Dole Foods. He rose to the position of president of Dole Packaged Foods in 1982 and remained with the company through 1987. A decade later, working with a private equity partnership, Wolford helmed the acquisition of Del Monte Foods and joined the company as its CEO. He was elected chairman of the board in May 2000. In March 2011, Wolford retired from Del Monte after almost 15 years of leadership. He has additionally served as chairman of the GMA board from January 2010 through February 2011, earlier holding the positions of board vice chairman, and chairman of the Industry Affairs Council for five years. He was also a member of the board of the Consumer Goods Forum.
The GMA Executive Conference will take place Aug. 20–23 at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.The Hall of Achievement Awards will be presented as part of the Chairman’s Lecture program on Sunday, Aug. 21. For more information, visit www.gmaexecutiveconference.com.