Background

Jeff recently joined The JM Smucker Company as the Vice President of Quality Assurance and Food Safety. He is responsible for the development and execution of the strategies, policies, and procedures that ensure product quality and food safety. This includes the QA and food safety programs and requirements throughout the approximately 20 Smucker-owned manufacturing facilities and the broader supply chain network including copackers and suppliers.

Prior to joining JM Smucker, Jeff spent 21 years at The Schwan Food Company, an affiliate of CJ CheilJedang Corporation. While at Schwan’s, Jeff held a variety of technical leadership roles of increasing importance including Vice President of Food Safety and Quality, Vice President of Manufacturing Technical Services, Director of Research and Development, Director of Food Safety and Microbiology, and Manager of Food Safety.

Jeff is actively involved in many professional and community-oriented boards and committees, including: the board of directors (past chairman) for the American Frozen Food Institute; a member of the Mitchell Hamline School of Law’s Food Law & Policy Institute Advisory Committee; a member of the Advisory Council for the University of Minnesota’s Department of Food Science and Nutrition; executive committee and board member for the Southwest Minnesota Workforce Council; and board member for the Canby (Minnesota) High School Blue & Gold Foundation.

Education

BS in Biology from Southwest Minnesota State University

MS in Biology from Minnesota State University - Mankato

PhD in Food Science from the University of Minnesota