The American Pet Products Association's board of directors voted unanimously to form the Pet Leadership Council. The Pet Leadership Council will include about 20 company leaders from all segments of the pet industry to focus on strengthening and consolidating key objectives and initiatives in the pet industry.
The council will consist of mass retailers, pet retailers, non-food manufacturers, petfood and treat manufacturers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, trade associations, industry organizations and live animal suppliers, in an effort to consolidate the involvement and funding for key initiatives needed in order to promote, develop and maintain the advancement of the pet industry. The Pet Leadership Council will also foster research, development and training, promote a better understanding of the various segments of the industry, cooperatively address concerns of mutual interest, maintain a liaison between government and the industry, and provide joint publicity and public relations for the pet industry.
“This is a tremendous advancement for the industry and has taken a lot of work to get here,” said APPA President and CEO Bob Vetere. “This truly can take everything to the next level but to meet its full potential, it is going to require strong participation, input, time and energy from those leaders with the experience, knowledge and ability to continue to move this industry forward. I am confident they will step up to the challenge.”
Vetere will oversee the new Council as well as serve as a non-voting member of APPA’s board of directors. APPA's board of directors will now consist of nine voting members including: new chairman, Jim Heim of Central Garden & Pet; secretary/treasurer, Robert Merar of General Pet Supply; Michael Farmer of GlobalOne Pet Products; Steve Ware of Ware Manufacturing; Brent Weinmann of Vitakraft Sunseed; Roger Morgan of PawTree LLC; Rodolfo Spielmann of Nutro; and the addition of two new members.