Jan 6, 2020Wilbur-Ellis adds food production veteran Hemmeter to board
Wilbur-Ellis has announced the addition of Molly Hemmeter to its board of directors.
Most recently, Hemmeter served as CEO, President and board director of Landec Corporation, a publicly traded company in the health and wellness space. Landec is comprised of two independent operating businesses: Lifecore Biomedical and Curation Foods.
During her tenure there, Hemmeter led the acquisition of Lifecore and subsequently its expansion into adjacent markets through organic growth. She also led the turnaround of the food business at Landec, transforming the company from a commodity vegetable enterprise to a branded, innovative natural foods company with sustainable business practices.
Prior to Landec, Hemmeter served as vice president of global marketing and business development at Ashland Chemical. She also was an executive in two software companies, both of which were acquired, and held additional positions in strategy, marketing, engineering and operations in a number of chemical, pharmaceutical and consumer product companies. Hemmeter holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Louisville, and a master’s in business administration from Harvard Business School.
“Molly is a visionary leader, with a focus on translating market insights into value creation,” said John P. Thacher, executive chairman of the Wilbur-Ellis board. “That fits perfectly with Wilbur-Ellis, which for nearly a century has been dedicated to helping our customers create value in their businesses.”
Thacher also noted the diversity of Hemmeter’s professional background. “The depth and breadth of Molly’s experience are truly extraordinary. She understands agriculture, nutrition and specialty chemicals — our core businesses. She also has experience in roles that include strategy development, marketing, engineering, operations and strategic acquisitions. These capabilities are driving Wilbur-Ellis’ growth as we broaden the scope of our businesses and the markets we serve. I know the company will benefit greatly from the expertise and insights Molly brings to the Wilbur-Ellis board.”
Hemmeter added: “I am so pleased to be joining the Wilbur-Ellis board of directors. This is a family-owned company with a long, accomplished history, spanning nearly 100 years. But Wilbur-Ellis also is a company with a focus on the future. The relationships it has built with customers are providing the insights that lead to exciting innovations and opportunities. I am very impressed by the company’s commitment to invest in its people and its businesses, as well as attractive new markets. This reflects an organization with the vision, resources and confidence to set its own course, and I am proud to be a part of the Wilbur-Ellis team.”
For more information, visit www.wilburellis.com
