US: Hass Avocado Board announces new executive committee

The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) has announced its 2013 Executive Committee which will focus on achieving HAB’s vision of being the avocado category leader in the United States and the industry leader worldwide. The 2013 Executive Committee includes:

Chairman, James W. Johnson, Producer
Vice-Chairman, Scott Bauwens, Importer
Secretary, Bob Schaar, Producer
Treasurer, Chris Henry, Importer

From left to right: James W. Johnson, Chris Henry, Scott Bauwens, Bob Scharr

In the coming year, the Executive Committee will focus on growing demand, with an emphasis on nutrition research and marketing. The board has made a significant investment in this area with several studies in progress and more on the way with a focus on four pillars: Heart Health, Weight Management, Type 2 Diabetes, and Healthy Living.

“We will focus on achieving four strategic priorities – to build demand in the US market, implement a data system that captures supply and demand globally, support initiatives that will help provide consistent quality product and continue investing in nutrition research that the industry can use to share the news about the health benefits of avocados,” said Chairman James W. Johnson. “Our efforts will continue to support avocado growers whose fruit is sold in the United States. Their success is our success.”

“Our strategic planning continues. The next phase commences in spring, 2013 when we reconvene to check progress against assigned development tasks,” said HAB Executive Director Emiliano Escobedo.

In addition, HAB has rebranded its look with a new logo that expresses the organization’s leadership in the avocado industry and marks a new, more contemporary identity for the future.

“In terms of personality, the logo and the typefaces used in various applications set a more modern tone,” said Escobedo. “Our old look served us well in the first decade of our existence. It was more formal and traditional and expressed HAB’s focus on the U.S.”

“Our new look imparts a strong sense for the future. We are an organization that represents leadership and points to a future with growth driven not only by Board efforts, but by the commitment to continue to create demand across the U.S. And, importantly, we take a global leadership position in terms of category expertise.”

This new brand identity is expressed not only in the design of the logo, but also in the color. The new logo features green – a standard for the avocado – expresses the positive aspects of the Hass avocado: fertility, nature, harmony, honesty and rebirth. The logo also infuses terra cotta color – a burnt orange – to signify attributes like creativity, confidence, invigoration, uniqueness, energy, vibrancy and health.

For more information:
Ligaya Malones
Hass Avocado Board
Tel: +1 310-659-5380 x106