ABA names new executive committee, board members

The new American Bakers Association leaders include execs from Flowers Foods and BCW.

The American Bakers Association (ABA) is welcoming new members to the ABA Board of Directors. Ryals McMullian (president and CEO of Flowers Foods) joins the Executive Committee as the Member-At-Large. Campbell Williams (co-CEO, BCW Food Products) joins the Board as the AIB Chair, and Bill Gross (executive vice president, PPC Flexible Packaging), joins the Board as the ATBI President.

“I am thrilled to welcome Ryals McMullian to the ABA Executive Committee and Campbell Williams and Bill Gross to the Board of Directors,” says Eric Dell, president and CEO, ABA. “Ryals, Campbell, and Bill’s executive-level leadership and deep industry knowledge will serve to further strengthen and propel ABA forward. 2023 is an exciting year of growth and strategic planning for ABA. With the strong leadership of the Board of Directors, ABA is well positioned to take its value proposition to the next level for both our members and the industry.”

Also, ABA recognizes and appreciates the years of service of outgoing Board Members:

Brad Alexander, retired COO, Flowers Foods
Jo Anne Williams, president, JAG Portfolio Services
Dean Modglin, vice president of sales, Lesaffre North America

Elected as CEO of Flowers Foods in 2019, McMullian drives strategies to increase shareholder value by focusing on brand growth, managing costs, expanding into product adjacencies through smart mergers and acquisitions, and developing talent and leading capabilities. During his tenure at Flowers Foods, McMullian has led initiatives to standardize and centralize corporate processes, with a focus on organizational realignment, indirect spend, and supply-chain optimization, among others.

As co-CEO of BCW Food Products, Williams is part of the fourth generation to participate in the family business. Prior to joining the business 17 years ago, he worked for Snyder’s-Lance. Williams is active in the industry, and currently serves on the boards of AIB International and Southwest Allied Trades; he is a past board member of the American Society of Baking. Apart from work, he is a member of YPO International and serves on the non-profit boards of Dallas Leadership Foundation and Boxes of Blessing.

Since joining PPC Flexible Packaging in 2014, Gross has held a variety of operations and sales leadership roles. He is instrumental in PPC’s strategic growth while managing costs and diversifying product offerings. He brings over 30 years of experience in the food packaging industry with the last 20 years focusing on bakery. PPC is a leading supplier of flexible packaging with 14 facilities globally.

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