Officials with the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) say they anticipate industry veteran Ronald Rogness becoming the organization’s director for industry relations, partnerships and fishery analysis on Feb. 27.
Rogness previously served as a consultant to the organization on economic and fishery matters. Once on board, he’s expected to focus attention on seafood collaborations and committees and securing additional funding to advance GAPP’s mission to boost demand for wild Alaska pollock through grants and other opportunities, officials said.
Rogness began his career nearly 30 years ago as a commercial harvester in Washington and later in Alaska. Thereafter Rogness served as staff economist for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, in purchasing at Long John Silver’s and the Unified Foodservice Purchasing Co-op, LLC and as vice president of sustainability and corporate relations at American Seafoods, a GAPP member.
Bob Desautel, president and chief executive officer of Global Seas, and chair of the GAPP board, cited Rogness as a fisherman at heart “and passionate about all things Wild Alaska pollock.”
Desautel said that in his new role, Rogness will focus on building new demand for Wild Alaska pollock.
““With him now joining GAPP on a full-time basis, his near encyclopedic knowledge of the industry, his long list of seafood executive contacts, and his ingenuity will help to advance our key programs—like the GAPP Partnership Program—to even greater heights,” GAPP CEO Craig Morris said.
“I am extremely excited to join the GAPP staff full-time to further its mission to build demand and awareness of Wild Alaska Pollock,” Rogness commented. “I have had the privilege of working with the amazing people in this industry for almost 40 years and I look forward to continuing that work in the years to come.”