Alton Simmons joined Dapec as a service technician. His responsibilities include installing and servicing Dapec poultry processing equipment. Simmons has previous experience with the installation of poultry processing equipment, as well as 12 years’ experience with the Kennedy Space Center.

Steven Westra retired as chairman of the board of Westra Construction Inc., effective December 31, 2004. He served for more than 30 years with the company in various roles, including chairman, chief executive officer, and president, and during his time the firm expanded from Waupun, WI, to include offices in Harrisburg and Phoenix, AZ. Peter Roehrig has been named president/ chief executive officer of Westra. He has been with the firm since 1980, spending the last 10 years as senior vice president. He succeeds Donald Thayer Jr., who had served as president and chief executive officer since 1995.

Dr. Gustavo González has been named education program manager for Silliker Inc. He is responsible for managing public course curriculum, preparing customized courses, coordinating technical instructors and expanding Spanish-language offerings of Silliker education services and products. Silliker provides consulting, testing, research, and training services that help ensure food safety and nutrition worldwide.

LaShonna Gojkov has been named regional sales manager for Combi Packaging Systems LLC. She will support distribution and develop new sales in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Also, Mark Freidly was promoted to national sales manager and will lead the sales and marketing departments. Sue Lewis has been appointed marketing manager and will support sales channels and build brand identity. Terry Bogard was promoted to supervisor, electrical engineering, and will oversee project completion, review new technologies for implementation, and set standards for new hardware updates.

Lohmann Animal Health International promoted Karen Heredia to director of regulatory affairs and quality assurance. She will assure that all avian vaccines manufactured at the LAHI sites meet or exceed USDA requirements for making, testing, storage, and shipment to the United States and international markets, and that all vaccines meet in-house and market requirements for the intended final usage.

Hanson Logistics named Tom Trimbach director of transportation. In his new position, he will oversee the launch of Hanson’s new transportation management services for dry and refrigerated/ frozen truckload and LTL services. Trimbach will be responsible for developing national transportation solutions for Hanson’s customer base, including scheduling temperature-controlled LTL distribution in the central states.

(FDC COO (Mike Anderson).jpg) Fort Dearborn Co. appointed Michael Anderson as chief operating officer. As COO, he will be responsible for the company’s operations, sales, and marketing efforts. The company states that the hiring is part of the progression of evolving from a small, privately owned, family-run business to a larger, professionally managed organization.

Tad Shepperd has been appointed chief business development officer for Spencer Technologies, a provider of turnkey technology implementation and support services to retailers. He will be responsible for all sales and marketing efforts worldwide, as well as all strategic alliance partner relationships, alternate channels, product development, and other revenue growth initiatives.