ARLINGTON, VA – December 5, 2013 – Today, Food Marketing Institute (FMI) welcomes Douglas E. Baker as its vice president of private brands. A recognized leader with nearly three decades of food retailing and manufacturing experience, Baker will advance FMI’s commitment to investing in brand equity and strengthening the FMI private brands community.

Baker began his career in the food retail industry in 1984, working at Fry’s Food Stores in Arizona. His 29 years in the food business include numerous promotions and leadership roles at Fry’s, Kraft Foods Group, Inc. and Federated Group, LLC, where he was most recently vice president of sales. Throughout his career, Baker has focused on retail operations, consumer packaged goods manufacturing, private brand development and marketing. His skills complement the cooperative efforts necessary for advancing FMI’s private brand supplier relationships from center store outward – so that the sphere of partnerships embrace every aisle and every department of the store.

“Private Brands continue to be a significant part of food retailer strategies for success, providing them with opportunities to lead in product innovation and creatively address customer needs on every aisle in the supermarket,” FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin said.  “Doug’s expertise will help FMI expand resources and reach in the arena of private brands, leading it to take its rightful place as an integral component in FMI’s vision for total store collaboration.”

Baker has served as an education committee member for the Private Label Manufacturing Association and chair of FMI’s Supply Chain Consolidation committee, where he oversees the planning and programming of FMI’s annual Supply Chain Conference. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a certification from St. Joseph’s University Private Label Execution Education Program.