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Leaders Elected To GCCA Warehouse, Transportation, GCCF and CEBA Boards
Tim Ludwig, Richard Patenaude, Ken Wah and Sam Tippmann fill Chair roles.
By Shane Brennan
The GCCA and GCCF rely on volunteer leaders to set strategies and ensure that the members receive the value and representation the industry needs. The GCCA is governed by two boards, one representing specifically warehouse interests and the other representing transportation. These boards oversee the events, advocacy and advisory activities the organization delivers for our global membership. The GCCA is led by a Board of Governors, and they oversee the charitable work of the organization including the popular Cold Chain Institute, the research and advisory services of groups like the Council of Scientific Advisors and the international development projects.
Join us in welcoming the new chairmen and board members that will serve our industry in 2025.
Ludwig Leads GCCA Warehouse
Tim Ludwig is the incoming Chair of the Global Cold Chain Alliance Warehouse Board and President of Bradner Cold Storage, British Colombia, Canada.
“It is an honor to take on this role,” says Ludwig. “Being part of the Global Cold Chain Alliance has been invaluable to me, providing a vital network, market intelligence and practical advice and support to our business for many years. I look forward to stewarding the organization’s Warehouse Board through this crucial period of strategic renewal. I welcome the new members of the board and thank all my colleagues in advance for their support in the exciting 12 months ahead.
“The cold chain is a reliable, often hidden, part of the global food and perishable goods supply chain, but we have found ourselves increasingly in the spotlight in recent years. A series of unpredictable events across the world have challenged the supply chain, and we enter 2025 expecting more dynamic change. I am proud of how our industry has coped and thrived. I am extremely optimistic about the years ahead.
“As we update our strategy, working with our new President and CEO, Sara Stickler, I will be focused on three priorities: driving greater engagement with our members across the world, ensuring we are relevant and responsive to the current and emerging leaders of our industry and ensuring we have a strong value proposition for our warehouse membership.”
Francisco Moura, CEO of IceStar (Santiago, Chile), supports Tim Ludwig as Vice Chair, and Larry Alderfer, President and CEO, United States Cold Storage (New Jersey, United States) is Treasurer. Jason Dreisbach, Chair of Dreisbach Enterprises (California, United States), will serve as Immediate Past Chair.
For the GCCA Warehouse Directors-at-Large positions, the membership approved the following slate of candidates to serve three year terms effective January 1, 2025.
- Devon Anders, InterChange Group Inc., Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
- Bryan Hedge, CORE X Complete, Stur- bridge, Massachusetts, United States
- Stephen Draper, Envision Cold, McAllen, Texas, United States
- Chris Murphy, Sierra Pacific Warehouse Group, Modesto, California, United States
- Henry Pringle, Constellation Cold Logistics, Luxembourg
The following current board members were approved to serve an additional three-year term effective January 1, 2025.
- Russell Leo, RLS Logistics, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, United States (renominated)
- John Tippmann, Interstate Warehousing, Wayne, Indiana, United States (renominated)
- Sean Vanderelzen, Lineage, Novi, Michigan, United States (renominated)
To view the full roster of GCCA Warehouse members visit https://www.gcca.org/about/gcca-warehouse/
Patenaude Leads GCCA Transportation
Richard Patenaude is the incoming Chair of the Global Cold Chain Alliance Transportation Board and President of CongebecTransport, Quebec, Canada.
Global trade relies on efficient and reliable transportation,” says Patenaude. “The global cold chain has been tested in recent years, and there remain big challenges ahead. With the current uncertainty around the trading relationships between the world’s global trading blocs, we expect to see various impacts both domestically and across borders around the world.
“We can also anticipate further disruption from climatic and geopolitical events and an ongoing challenge of global policies to decarbonize all modes of transport. A strong voice for cold chain truckers, rail and air cargo has never been more critical and will provide significant growth opportunities in the years ahead.
“GCCA transportation provides the insights and tools to help professionals across the chain to be as prepared as possible for the dynamic changes ahead for our industry. I thank all my colleagues on the Board, and welcome our new board members, with special appreciation to the wider Alliance for their support and ongoing partnership.”
Patenaude is supported by Robert Fay, Florida Freezer, as Vice Chair. Don Durm, PLM Fleet, serves as Immediate Past Chair.
For the GCCA Transportation Directors-at-Large positions, the membership approved the following slate of candidates to serve three year terms effective January 1, 2025.
- Tom Brennan, Americold, South Plainfield, New Jersey, United States
- Renier Du Preez, Digistics, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Jason Massey, Ndustrial, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
- Brook Miller, Envision Cold, McAllen, Texas, United States
To view the full roster of GCCA Transportation members visit https://www.gcca.org/about/gcca-transportation/
Wah Leads Foundation
Ken Whah is the incoming Chair of the Global Cold Chain Foundation Board.
“The Global Cold Chain Foundation is the jewel in the crown of our Alliance,” says Whah. “I am proud to take on the role of GCCF Chair, especially as we celebrate the 60th year of our unique training program, the Cold Chain Institute. For decades, we have provided unique peer-to-peer education, helping inspire emerging leaders across the cold chain to reinforce their knowledge and build their networks. The global growth of the program is really exciting, and we look forward to supporting that growth through the next 12 months.
“Our international projects program continues to support cold chain business across emerging economies in Latin America, Africa and East Asia. As we face the major challenges and opportunities facing our world, the importance of having a secure, well-invested and valued cold chain cannot be underestimated. We will continue to find ways to research markets and mentor and train professionals to help the continued growth of the warehouse and transportation infrastructure that underpins successful economies and drives prosperity.
“I thank all the leaders from across the world that give time to serve our Foundation, especially my fellow board members, and I look forward to working with them all in the year ahead.”
Ken Whah is supported by Adam Forste, Lineage Logistics, as the Vice Chair and Graham Harvey, NewCold, as Treasurer. Mickey Hoffmann from United States Cold Storage will serve as Immediate Past Chair.
For the GCCF Governors-at-Large positions, the membership approved the following slate of candidates to serve three year terms effective January 1, 2025.
- Josh Cronan, ARCOLD Design/Build, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- William Duggan, Eskesen Advisory, Morristown, New Jersey, United States [re-nominated]
- Luis Jorge, Rannik/IS Services, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Mathew Meredith, Ifria Cold, Wilmington, Delaware, United States
- France Pomerleau, Congebec, Quebec City, Canada
- Kirk Robertson, Terra Vista Capital, Washington, D.C., United States [Public Member]
- Gary White, Bellingham Cold Storage, Bellingham, Washington, United States
To view the full roster of GCCF Board members visit https://www.gcca.org/about/global-cold-chain-foundation/
Continuity at the Top at CEBA
The Global Cold Chain Alliance is proud to partner with the Controlled Environment Building Association (CEBA). The board oversees all aspects of CEBA’s work across the world, including events, advisory work and the growing CEBA Professional Development program.
Sam Tippmann, President of TI Cold, Florida, United States, is Chair of the Controlled Environment Building Association Board for a two-year term.
Tippmann says, “It’s an honor for me to be entering my second year as CEBA Chair. With record membership, conference attendance and engaged committees, our association enters 2025 stronger than ever. All our members can be extremely proud of our growing value proposition, engaged community and dynamic network of experts.”
At the CEBA Conference in November 2024, the membership approved the following candidates to serve new three-year terms: Scott Guimond from Fisher Construction as Vice Chair and Michael Jones from Primus as Treasurer. Marko Dzeletovich of Coldbox Builders will serve as the Immediate Past Chair.
The CEBA membership approved the following candidates to serve new three year terms.
- Robert Brodsky, Stellar, Jacksonville, Florida, United States
- Michael Cody, Ware Malcomb, Irvine, California, United States
- Matt Fleckenstein, RITE-HITE, Elmhurst, Illinois, United States
- Peter Gofredo, Frazier Industrial Company, Long Valley, New Jersey, United States
- Steven Hansen Jr., ThermalCraft, Irvine, California, United States
- Kate Lyle, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Culver City, California, United States
- Anita Nanda, Americold, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Gary O’Donnell, Karis Cold, Schaumburg, Illinois, United States
- Mike Petros, Nucor Insulated Panel Group, Tampa, Florida, United States
- Luke Waite, FREEZ Construction, Little Elm, Texas, United States
To read the full roster of CEBA Board Members visit https://www.gcca.org/about/controlled-environment-building/