The American Pet Products Association (APPA) – the leading trade association serving the interests of the pet products industry since 1958 – has announced several new board positions and members for 2023.
Terry Anderton, founder, and CEO of Wagz® Inc., and Steve Clark, Chief Revenue Officer at Petmate, have joined the board of directors. Tommy Baroody, Vice President of Sales for Nestlé Purina PetCare North America, has been named the new chair. Senior Vice President of Business Development & E-commerce for Compana Pet Brands Jeremy Baker will take on the role of secretary/treasurer. Chuck Latham, immediate past chair and founder of H&C Animal Health, will remain on the board as a director.
Baroody has over 25 years of experience in consumer goods with Nestlé Purina PetCare, Ralston Purina, and RJR Nabisco. He has held several roles focused on leading teams in category management, customer development, and brand portfolio management across multiple trade channels, including pet specialty, grocery, and mass. He has served on APPA’s board for five years and has served on boards for the University of Arizona Center for Retailing and the Pet Care Trust.
“The entire board would like to extend a warm welcome and congratulations to Terry and Steve. I look forward to working with them and the rest of the board to deliver on our shared commitment to strength the global pet care community and promote responsible pet ownership,” said Baroody. “I would also like to thank Chuck for his contributions during his time as chair. APPA continues to be a leading voice for the global pet care community, and that is certainly in part thanks to strong board leadership.”
When his new rescue puppy ran away after being frightened by fireworks, Anderton was inspired to create a better way for pet parents to keep their dogs safe while giving their owners peace of mind – and Wagz, the connected pet technology company, was born. Anderton has a long history of building disruptive and forward-thinking technology companies. He has been granted four patents and has also been appointed to serve on the Board of the New Hampshire Innovative Research Council.
“I am honored to join APPA and work alongside such a talented group of experts during this transformational period in the pet products industry,” said Anderton. “As innovations in connected technology continue to transform our homes and lifestyles, I look forward to helping the organization, its members, and other stakeholders expand the possibilities for how people can better protect and care for their beloved pets.”
Clark has more than 11 years of experience in the pet supplies space. He brings strong expertise in consumer-branded products with an emphasis on sales, marketing and e-commerce strategy. Prior to Petmate, Steve served in various leadership roles at Crayola and Bell Sports.
“As a longtime member of the pet industry, I am looking forward to bringing my years of experience to the APPA board,” added Clark. “It is both an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to serve alongside some of the greatest minds in the pet care community, while also delivering the services and offerings that help APPA’s members grow for years to come.”
Baker brings more than 20 years of CPG leadership experience to the APPA board, which he has sat on since 2019. For the past 15 years, he led efforts to expand Oxbow Animal Health into a global leader in the pet specialty arena and recently played an instrumental role in the successful sale of the company to Compana Pet Brands.
“There has never been a more exciting time to be part of the pet care community. I am energized to serve an industry-leading organization like APPA and inspired to continue helping drive success for the association’s members,” noted Baker.
APPA’s board also includes Brett Johnson, Radio Systems (Director); Chanda Leary-Coutu, Wellness Pet Company (Director); Todd Regan, Central Garden & Pet (Director); and Savina Singh, JoJo Modern Pets (Director).
The APPA board of directors comprises pet industry professionals from diverse locations across the U.S. who collectively work to achieve the association’s mission to promote responsible pet care and advance the pet products industry. For more information, visit americanpetproducts.org/about_boardofdirectors.asp.