To keep up to date with the latest personnel changes across the seafood industry, SeafoodSource is compiling a regular round-up of hiring announcements and other personnel-related shifts worldwide. If you have an announcement, please send it to [email protected].
– Hull, U.K.-based chilled fish supplier Copernus announced Dean Simpson is stepping down as managing director, and current Finance Director Jeff Milner will replace him in October.
“After more than a decade as Managing Director of Copernus, I feel that the time is right for both me and the business to make this change," Simpson said. "I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved at Copernus and, in particular, of the team we have built together. The company has changed significantly over recent years, and becoming part of the Suempol Group was another important milestone in this journey.”
During his decade as managing director, Simpson led the company through an acquisition by Polish salmon processor Suempol in 2024, as well as its integration into Suempol Group. As finance director, Milner has worked alongside Simpson for several years on supporting the company's growth and strengthening market positioning.
“Dean has made an enormous contribution to the development of Copernus and leaves the company in a very strong position," Copernus Vice President Maciej Jaworowski said. "His extensive knowledge, experience, and commitment have played a key role in shaping the company and building strong foundations for its further growth. Since Suempol acquired Copernus in 2024, we have built a very strong relationship, and I would personally like to thank Dean for his openness, support, and commitment throughout the integration process of both organizations.”
– Juneau, Alaska, U.S.A.-based fishing organization United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA) announced Thatcher Brouwer as its new executive director, replacing Tracy Welch who has led since December 2021.
“As president of UFA, I look forward to working with Thatcher to make sure fishermen have a seat at the table and commercial fishing continues to support families and communities statewide,” UFA President Matt Alward said in a release. “I also want to give a huge thanks to Tracy Welch for the countless hours she dedicated as the previous Executive Director to fighting for the fishing industry and the communities that depend on it. Tracy has left very big shoes to fill, and I am confident that Thatcher will fill them well.”
Brouwer has commercially fished for over 20 years and has participated in several fishery committees and organizations statewide. He's also a long-time member of the Juneau Douglas Fish and Game Advisory Committee and a board member on hatchery gear group boards. He's also worked as a legislative aide yearly for the past 11 years and has staffed legislative committees, worked with constituents, and carried bills pertaining to the fishing industry.
“I know how rewarding it is to make a living commercial fishing, and I also know how challenging it can be to make ends meet as a fisherman,” Brouwer said in a release. “It is an honor to be working for UFA and all the commercial fishermen represented by the organization who fish statewide."
– New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based East Coast Shellfish Growers Association (ECSGA) has appointed Chris Schillaci as its new executive director, replacing longtime leader Bob Rheault.
Rheault will remain in an advisory role until Schiallci gets situated in the role and will continue as an independent consultant.
"Chris will be an excellent leader," Rheault said in a release. "Chris has a great resume, and I am confident he will do a great job of keeping our Association going strong in the years ahead."
"I'm honored to serve an industry defined by hard work, ingenuity, and a deep commitment to coastal communities and economies," Schiallci added on LinkedIn. "I look forward to working closely with the Board and our membership to build on ECSGA's priorities and identify new areas of focus for the industry's future. Bob Rheault leaves big shoes to fill, and I am grateful for his decades of advocacy for the industry."
Schillaci is the owner of CSC Aquaculture and previously spent over five years at NOAA. Prior to that, he spent 10 years as an aquaculture and vibrio specialist for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
"As I step into this role, my goal is simple: ensure ECSGA remains a powerful, effective champion for its members," Schillaci said on LinkedIn.
– The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) is reducing its size after market fees for the nation's conventional and pelagic sectors reduced budgets on 1 June.
As a result, NSC is dropping from five departments to four departments. The four teams are now Global Operations, Marketing and Communications, Insights and Business Advisory, and Business Management. Each department will house professional groups, NSC said, and the organization will now also manage the Norwegian pavilion at major seafood fairs.
"The Norwegian seafood industry operates in a world market that is changing faster and more unpredictably than before," NSC CEO Christian Chramer said in a release. "That is why we are equipping the Norwegian Seafood Council even better to see around the next turn, deliver strategically important insights and be the seafood industry's guide in rapidly changing waters."
NSC's new leadership group includes Chramer, NSC Director of Global Operations Børge Grønbech, NSC Director of Marketing and Communications Martin Skaug, NSC Director of Insight and Business Advisory Kathrine Tveiterås, and NSC acting Director of Corporate Governance Maria Nyang-Jørgensen.
"We are sharpening our role as a sparring partner for the seafood industry and the authorities," Chramer said. "This means that we, even in a more flexible organization, ensure the unique expertise in species and products and establish a permanent point of contact for the industry. For example, we are pooling and strengthening our work with data analysis and artificial intelligence. This will benefit the seafood industry in the form of tailored services and better insights to support decision-making."
