Gilreath Named Chair of Frozen Food Association
Rich Products vice president Gilreath leads the National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association's Board of Directors for the 2026-2027 term.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in People
The National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association named Rich Products vice president Gilreath as its chair, with Derek DeMuth of Ajinomoto Foods North America named chair-elect. Fifteen individuals were newly elected to the Board of Directors at the Association's meeting.
Why it matters
The leadership slate sets the Association's direction as it advances its 2030 Strategic Plan, including rollout of a new demand generation platform. The changes reflect how frozen and refrigerated food industry groups are organizing leadership across manufacturers and retailers in the United States.
The announcement covers fifteen newly elected Board members for the 2026-2027 term, with the full list published on the Association's website. The source does not detail the individual votes or the criteria used in selecting the officers.
The players
National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA)
A U.S. trade association representing manufacturers, distributors and retailers of frozen and refrigerated foods, which is advancing a 2030 Strategic Plan.
Rich Products
A privately held food company headquartered in Buffalo, New York, that supplies frozen bakery and dessert products to foodservice and retail customers.
Ajinomoto Foods North America
The North American food arm of Japan's Ajinomoto Group, which produces frozen foods and seasonings.
The details
Officers were announced at the Association's meeting, where new board members were also elected. Scott Evans of Associated Wholesale Grocers serves as secretary, Lindsey Hickey of Simek's as treasurer, Jorge Silva of The Campbell's Co. as vice chair for frozen, and Kevin Herd of Danone North America as vice chair for refrigerated.
Timeline
2026-2027: Term of the newly announced Board of Directors and committees.
2030: Target year of the Association's Strategic Plan.
Leadership Pipeline
The Association's officer succession, with a chair-elect already named, follows a standard trade-association rotation that carries NFRA's 2030 Strategic Plan forward through the coming board term. The incoming board will be responsible for rolling out the demand generation platform tied to that plan.
For shoppers, the Association's work on demand generation and industry standards can influence how frozen and refrigerated products are marketed and stocked in grocery stores. The source does not specify any direct change to retail prices or product availability.
The takeaway
Trade association leadership changes often signal the priorities that will shape product categories over several years. Readers following frozen and refrigerated foods can track the Association's progress toward its 2030 goals as new board members take office.
Further reading
Explore more People coverage in our business section for context on industry leadership changes.
