MILAN – The SCA Board of Directors, led by President Christina Meinl, nominated a group of eight professionals from a pool of dozens who responded to the annual call for nominations made in June. As the number of candidates this year is equal to the number of open seats, there is no need to proceed with a voting process, and the SCA Board has confirmed the eight professionals listed below as members of the SCA Board of Directors, in accordance with Section 7.4(h) of the SCA Bylaws:
- Joanna Alm, Managing Director at Drop Coffee
- Pamela Chng, Co-founder at The Bettr Group
- Vera Espíndola Rafael, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Azahar Coffee Company
- Garfield Kerr, CEO at Mokha 1450
- Mbula Musau, Chief Empowerment Officer at Utake Coffee Limited
- Gloria Pedroza, Head of Coffee Quality, NKG Quality Service (Neumann Kaffee Gruppe)
- Jörg Peter Schwartze, CEO at Schaerer Ltd. and Vice President at Schaerer Brand
- Asli Yaman, Co-founder of KiMMA Coffee Roasters
SCA will be hosting a special webinar on November 30 with this year’s group of new directors.
Were there any petition candidates on the ballot this year?
As outlined in the SCA Bylaws, anyone not selected for the slate had the opportunity to seek 100 member signatures during the month of September and petition to be added to the ballot. Four members of the coffee community sought a petition candidacy this year, and I want to send a heartfelt thank you to each of them and their supporters for their efforts. While these four professionals were unable to gather the number of supporters required by the bylaws, they have contributed to valuable conversations on the work of the board and the election process.
What happens next in the 2020 elections?
The next step in the board election is usually for SCA members to take part in a voting process, which would usually open on November 1. However, given that the number of candidates this year is equal to the number of open seats, the SCA Board will move forward in confirming the eight professionals listed above as members of the SCA Board of Directors, in accordance with Section 7.4(h) of the SCA Bylaws:
“If after the close of the nominating period on September 30 the number of people nominated for the Board is not more than the number of directors to be elected, the Corporation may without further action declare that those nominated and qualified to be elected have been elected, in which case there shall be no election.”
This year’s group of directors will serve a two-year term from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022.
Who are the board members whose terms are ending this year?
The SCA sends a warm thank you to the six dedicated members of the board whose terms end on December 31, 2020. These coffee professionals have provided invaluable leadership to the association and have dedicated countless volunteer hours to make the work of the SCA a success:
- Christina Meinl, Managing Director at Julius Meinl, who most recently served as President
- Nils Erichsen, Managing Director at UBE Erichsen, who most recently served as Treasurer
- Vava Angwenyi, Founder of Vava Coffee
- Pamela Chng, Co-founder at The Bettr Group*
- Vera Espíndola Rafael, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Azahar Coffee Company*
- Mbula Musau, Chief Empowerment Officer at Utake Coffee Limited*
- Choi, Seongil, Founder of Choi Coffee Company
- Asli Yaman, Co-founder of KiMMA Coffee Roasters*
- Stuart Ritson, Independent Coffee Consultant, who as Barista Guild (BG) Chair served on the BG ex-officio seat on the SCA Board.**
- Sonja Björk Grant, Founder of Kaffibrugghúsið, who as Coffee Roasters Guild (CRG) Chair served on the CRG ex-officio seat on the SCA Board.**
* Directors serving a second term as one of the eight directors selected this cycle.
** The Barista Guild and the Coffee Roasters Guild hold two seats on the Board of Directors reserved for the Chairs of the two guilds, per the SCA Bylaws. The Coffee Technicians Guild, created after the current bylaws were approved by SCA members, holds an observer position in meetings.
New roles on the SCA Board of Directors in 2021
As we close the 2020 election cycle, we also see a few additional changes to its composition. Per the association’s bylaws, the following members of the board will take on new roles on January 1st, 2021:
- Colleen Anunu, Interim CEO at Gimme! Coffee, will become President
- Juan Luis Barrios, General Manager at Finca La Merced, will become Vice President
- Konstantinos Konstantinopoulos, CEO at Coffee Island, will become 2nd Vice President
- Burak Alici, CEO at QVIDTVM, will become Treasurer
The SCA also welcomes the Chairs of the guilds to the ex-officio seats:
- Jessie May Peters, European Sales and Marketing at Raw Material and Chair of the BG, will fill the BG ex-officio seat on the SCA Board
- Jen Apodaca, Owner of Mother Tongue Coffee and Chair of the CRG, will fill the CRG ex-officio seat on the SCA Board
“Finally, I want to say thank you to all SCA members who engage in this important process every year” says in the statement Yannis Apostolopoulos, Chief Executive Officer of the Specialty Coffee Association. “Thank you for supporting the mission of the SCA. I encourage you to visit our SCA Elections page to learn more about the elections process, to find all announcements published in this election cycle, and for answers to frequently asked questions.”
