David Gombas to lead United's food-safety team
David Gombas to lead United's food-safety team
The United Fresh Produce Association announced that David Gombas has been promoted to senior vice president for food safety and technology, leading all association activities and member services in the scientific and technical areas, a position held by Jim Gorny, who announced that he will leave the association at the end of the month to head the Postharvest Technology Research & Information Center at the University of California- Davis.
As United Fresh's chief food-safety officer, Dr. Gombas will oversee the development and implementation of food-safety, quality-assurance, supply- chain technology and food-security programs on behalf of the association members. He will also play a key role in advocating the membership's interests before all relevant health and safety regulatory officials, the Bush administration and Congress.
"Working with both Jim and Dave on the same team has been one of the most rewarding experiences of the merger of UFFVA and IFPA," United Fresh President Tom Stenzel said in a statement. "It's rare to find an individual with both the technical scientific expertise and the people skills that are so necessary in association management. We were so fortunate to have two such leaders coming from the merger last year, and now we will be so well prepared with Dave simply stepping forward without the association missing a beat. We congratulate Jim and look forward to working with him at UC- Davis, and are also thrilled to have David's leadership at this important time in serving our produce industry."
Dr. Gombas was formerly vice president of scientific and technical affairs for United Fresh, providing expertise in food microbiology, food security and regulatory affairs, working closely with federal agencies and Congress over the past year. He joined United Fresh during the merger of IFPA and UFFVA, having previously served as vice president of technical services at IFPA since 2005.
Prior to joining IFPA, he was with the National Food Processors Association, where he served as vice president of the association's laboratories for microbiology, chemistry and processing research and technical assistance in Washington, DC.
Prior to working at NFPA, Dr. Gombas served in the microbiology and food- safety departments at Campbell Soup Co. and Kraft Foods.
Dr. Gombas received his doctorate in food microbiology at the University of Massachusetts, and master's and bachelor's degrees in food science from Rutgers University and MIT, respectively.
As United Fresh's chief food-safety officer, Dr. Gombas will oversee the development and implementation of food-safety, quality-assurance, supply- chain technology and food-security programs on behalf of the association members. He will also play a key role in advocating the membership's interests before all relevant health and safety regulatory officials, the Bush administration and Congress.
"Working with both Jim and Dave on the same team has been one of the most rewarding experiences of the merger of UFFVA and IFPA," United Fresh President Tom Stenzel said in a statement. "It's rare to find an individual with both the technical scientific expertise and the people skills that are so necessary in association management. We were so fortunate to have two such leaders coming from the merger last year, and now we will be so well prepared with Dave simply stepping forward without the association missing a beat. We congratulate Jim and look forward to working with him at UC- Davis, and are also thrilled to have David's leadership at this important time in serving our produce industry."
Dr. Gombas was formerly vice president of scientific and technical affairs for United Fresh, providing expertise in food microbiology, food security and regulatory affairs, working closely with federal agencies and Congress over the past year. He joined United Fresh during the merger of IFPA and UFFVA, having previously served as vice president of technical services at IFPA since 2005.
Prior to joining IFPA, he was with the National Food Processors Association, where he served as vice president of the association's laboratories for microbiology, chemistry and processing research and technical assistance in Washington, DC.
Prior to working at NFPA, Dr. Gombas served in the microbiology and food- safety departments at Campbell Soup Co. and Kraft Foods.
Dr. Gombas received his doctorate in food microbiology at the University of Massachusetts, and master's and bachelor's degrees in food science from Rutgers University and MIT, respectively.
