- Accomplished leader responsible for driving growth at General Mills, one of the nation’s largest food production companies, joins Indigo’s board
- Simonds’ experience in the consumer goods space will support Indigo’s vision of meeting public demand for a healthy, transparent food supply
Boston, Massachusetts, March 15, 2018 – Indigo Ag, Inc., a company dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet, announces today the appointment of Ann Simonds, experienced consumer goods professional and former Chief Marketing Officer of General Mills, to its Board of Directors. With her deep expertise in marketing management, customer insight, consumer products, and integrated marketing, Simonds will strengthen the company’s commercial growth and brand recognition. Coupled with her marketing expertise, Simonds has broad operating experience in wheat, cocoa, and sugar from her roles as President of Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, and Immaculate Baking.
“What drew me to Indigo was the team’s desire to connect agricultural practices with consumer preferences,” said Simonds. “I see significant potential in the company’s model, dedicated to cultivating that connection. I look forward to helping Indigo establish the next frontier in the farm-to-table movement.”
During her twenty-year career at General Mills, Ann Simonds served as President of Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, and Immaculate Baking, and—most recently—as CMO. In this role, Simonds led the company’s marketing function and marketing services organization, Gcom. Her leadership directly enabled philanthropic milestones, including the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories® literacy program, the Stirring Up Wishes campaign for the Make a Wish Foundation, and Bake the Change™, a Betty Crocker program that inspires people to make a difference in the world through baking. She also supervised General Mills community initiatives, including the United Way campaign and the Women’s Forum. Simonds was closely involved with Partners in Food Solutions, an initiative started by General Mills to strengthen food security, improve nutrition, and increase economic development across Africa by expanding and increasing the competitiveness of the food processing sector. Before joining General Mills, Simonds spent five years in product management at Johnson & Johnson. She received her MBA at Harvard Business School. Currently, Simonds serves on the board of The Brand Lab and as the Chairman of the Board at the Hennepin Theater Trust.
“Ann brings extensive marketing and branding experience to our board,” said Robert Berendes, Indigo’s Chairman of the Board. “Her knowledge of both food and consumer goods will be invaluable as we drive towards our goal of creating a marketplace that responds to consumer demands for healthy, sustainable, and traceable food.”
Along with Berendes, Simonds joins industry leaders David Perry, John Gehring, Peter Innes, Mehmood Khan, and Ignacio Martinez on Indigo’s Board of Directors.
To learn more about Indigo Ag, visit our about page.
MEDIA CONTACTS
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Indigo Lauren Ashbrook + 1 (857) 443-9416
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Kwittken for Indigo Margaret Manning + 1 (646) 747-9390
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