The Specialty Food Association has announced the retirement of Chris Crocker, who served as a vice president and publisher for 20 years.
Crocker joined the SFA in 2000 to relaunch the Association’s existing publication as Specialty Food Magazine, expanding its audience and building advertising support. He also introduced Specialty Food News (now SFA News Daily), the daily email newsletter, to market.
“When offered the chance to develop the Association’s media, I jumped at the chance,” said Crocker. "I’d spent 10 years as publisher of a business newspaper for the gourmet trade, and knew I wanted to stay in the specialty food arena. For an idealist like me, it was a privilege to spend the bulk of my career in an organization whose mission is to serve this industry.”
During his tenure, Crocker was vital in bringing the SFA Business Summit to life and piloted the LevelUP buyer program for the Fancy Food Shows. Most recently, he stepped back from executive leadership at the Association to focus exclusively on SFA’s media portfolio, including developing SFA Feed, an app and web-based platform designed to more effectively deliver news, features, and product information to readers.
“Chris has guided the organization through some very pivotal transitions over time including the refresh of NASFT Showcase magazine to Specialty Food Magazine to what is now called the SFA Feed,” said SFA President Bill Lynch. “Chris also had a hand in leading re-branding efforts for the SFA that helped build our brand authority and recognition during a time when most people only knew us by the ‘Fancy Food Show.’ These are just a few of his many accomplishments at SFA. He has also been a great friend, mentor, and colleague to me and many other staff. We will miss him and wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life.”
Denise Purcell, SFA's director of content, worked closely with Crocker during his SFA career.
“Chris Crocker and I began a friendship when he first joined SFA 20 years ago and it continued throughout the years I worked directly for him,” she said. “We collaborated on the evolution of some media platforms and the creation of several new ones and had a lot of fun doing it, even the hard parts. He manages to combine vision and a seemingly non-stop commitment to change with common sense (or at least the willingness to be talked into reality). The industry has benefited from his many contributions and I have personally from his guidance over the years. He’ll be missed around here, but I wish him all the best in whatever he has planned next.”
Related: SFA Appoints Bill Lynch President; Buyers Explore Thousands of Foods at Specialty Food Live!
from Industry Operations https://ift.tt/3lAqS7H
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