NASFT Appoints Ann G. Daw as President

The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. (NASFT®) today announced it has appointed as its new president Ann G. Daw. Fifty-one year old Daw is a distinguished executive with 27 years of international business and marketing experience with Kraft and Philip Morris, and a sought-after consultant focusing on business strategies and domestic and international brand building for clients ranging from small family-run operations to Fortune 500 companies. Daw will begin employment at the NASFT on May 5 and, after a two-month transition period, will take over as president after the Summer Fancy Food Show®.

John Roberts, retiring NASFT president said, “We are extremely pleased to have Ann onboard. Her experience is a great fit with the strategic goals of the NASFT. She’s committed to supporting the association’s existing business-to-business programs while also building important consumer initiatives, such as foodspring, our targeted consumer magazine.” He continued, “She has run operations of greater size than the NASFT and has had bottom line responsibilities as large and larger than ours. In addition, she brings a well-balanced international understanding from her years running marketing at Philip Morris for the entire Asia Pacific Region.”

Three years ago, John Roberts announced that after 17 years as president, he would step down in 2006. At that time, the NASFT Board created a succession plan, assigned a search committee and hired an executive search firm. Twelve candidates were chosen from more than 250 qualified executives, out of which three finalists were identified and endured a rigorous, multi-layered interview process. The search committee was impressed by Daw’s global experience in strategic planning, business development and consumer marketing, as well as her passion for building brands and developing people. Said Roberts, “Ann clearly gets the best out of people by listening and appreciating diversity of thought.” Roberts will remain as president through the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City, from July 9 – 11, and will officially retire on September 30.
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Daw grew up in Massachusetts and attended Merrimack College where she majored in mathematics. She received her MBA from Boston University in 1978, and then began her career at General Foods. She advanced through the organization in various marketing positions, such as Group Product Manager for the Birds Eye Division and Operations Planning Manager in the Meals Division. In 1990, she took on a much larger role when she became General Manager and Marketing Director for the Dinners and Enhancers Division, with full P&L responsibility for a $100 million business.

She expanded her business responsibilities into the international arena when she joined Philip Morris International as Director, Planning in 1992. In 1998, she became Vice President, Marketing for the Asia Region and relocated to Hong Kong. After returning to the states in 2001, Daw continued to apply her marketing and consumer insights globally for Kraft Foods as Senior Vice President of Business and Marketing Development in the International Division and Vice President of Global Marketing Resources and Initiatives. She is noted for having created a new organization whose mission was to focus on the future, infuse innovation and establish best practices. The results were improved efficiency in business development, compliance, marketing, consumer insights, training and eBusiness. Under her auspices, portfolio strategies were developed and acted upon, and she led the innovation leadership team to best leverage human and financial capital. In her global role, she was responsible for new strategic initiatives, training and development, Kraft Kitchens and Consumer Relations. She lives in Westchester County, NY, with her husband Tom, and two daughters, ages 4 and 10.
Established in 1952, the NASFT® is the only U.S. trade association representing all segments of the specialty food industry. Today, there are 2,390 members that produce nearly 180,000 specialty food products. The NASFT owns and produces the Fancy Food Shows® in New York, San Francisco and Chicago, known as the premier specialty food marketplaces in the country; Specialty Food Magazine, which reaches 30,100 trade professionals; foodspringTM, the magazine for the food adventurist; Specialty Food NewsTM, an electronic newsletter with 44,000 readers; and hosts www.specialtyfood.com and www.specialtyfoodmarket.com. For more information and to find out more about the NASFT and its services, visit www.specialtyfood.com.