WGA announces several promotions
WGA announces several promotions
The Western Growers Association in Irvine, CA, has announced that Dave Puglia was promoted to senior vice president of government affairs and communications, and other promotions at the organization have also been announced.
In addition to his ongoing government affairs role, Mr. Puglia will assume responsibility for all Western Growers communications strategies and tactical activities.
Mr. Puglia has led WGA's state government affairs activities for the past two years. Prior to joining the association in April 2005 as vice president of state government affairs, Mr. Puglia served as a global public affairs and issues management vice president for a national firm, and previously served for seven years in the California attorney general's office as press secretary and later as director of public affairs and communications. A native of Sacramento, CA, Mr. Puglia earned a bachelor's degree from California State University-Sacramento in government journalism.
"We are very pleased to promote Dave to senior vice president. Dave has done all we have asked of him and then some. Taking on his new communications duties is well-deserved and logical given Dave's past communications experience," Tom Nassif, WGA's president and chief executive officer, said in a release.
Western Growers Association also announced the promotions of Patty Benkowski to vice president of insurance operations, Paula Olson to vice president of marketing and Damian Williams to chief information officer.
Ms. Benkowski, with her 20 years of ever-increasing responsibility, will assume an expanded strategic role in WGA's assurance trust operations. Ms. Olson, who over the last two years has created WGA's first marketing department, will build on that foundation, strategically supporting all entities of Western Growers Association to gain market share and continue developing quality products and services for WGA members. Mr. Williams' promotion to chief information officer is an expansion of his current role as director of information technology.
In addition to his ongoing government affairs role, Mr. Puglia will assume responsibility for all Western Growers communications strategies and tactical activities.
Mr. Puglia has led WGA's state government affairs activities for the past two years. Prior to joining the association in April 2005 as vice president of state government affairs, Mr. Puglia served as a global public affairs and issues management vice president for a national firm, and previously served for seven years in the California attorney general's office as press secretary and later as director of public affairs and communications. A native of Sacramento, CA, Mr. Puglia earned a bachelor's degree from California State University-Sacramento in government journalism.
"We are very pleased to promote Dave to senior vice president. Dave has done all we have asked of him and then some. Taking on his new communications duties is well-deserved and logical given Dave's past communications experience," Tom Nassif, WGA's president and chief executive officer, said in a release.
Western Growers Association also announced the promotions of Patty Benkowski to vice president of insurance operations, Paula Olson to vice president of marketing and Damian Williams to chief information officer.
Ms. Benkowski, with her 20 years of ever-increasing responsibility, will assume an expanded strategic role in WGA's assurance trust operations. Ms. Olson, who over the last two years has created WGA's first marketing department, will build on that foundation, strategically supporting all entities of Western Growers Association to gain market share and continue developing quality products and services for WGA members. Mr. Williams' promotion to chief information officer is an expansion of his current role as director of information technology.
