Flowers Foods Bakeries Group, Thomasville, Ga., has promoted Mary Kay Razminas to vice president of business analysis and insight, a newly created position. Razminas has more than 20 years of experience in information technology and business analysis in the consumer packaged goods industry, including more than 10 years at Frito-Lay in Plano, Texas. She joined Flowers as a market analyst and master file team manager and was promoted to business analysis director in 2000.

In other news, Flowers has promoted Jerry F. Hancock II to vice president of environmental and regulatory affairs. Hancock, who has been serving as director, will continue to oversee environmental and safety issues, as well as Flowers’ sustainability and energy management programs and matters related to closed plant and idle assets. Hancock joined Flowers in 1988 as a project manager.

LUBRIPLATE Lubricants Co., Newark, N.J., has appointed Stephen A. Morrow vice president of sales. Morrow joined the company in 1973 as district sales manager after graduating from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Since 2003, he has served as director of synthetic sales and national sales manager.

Rademaker USA has named Jim Bruce Midwest regional sales manager. Bruce has more than 15 years experience in the bakery and food processing industry. Prior to joining Hudson, Ohio-based company, he held positions at ADM Milling and, most recently, Fritsch baking machines. Bruce will be based in Overland Park, Kan.

Stellar of Jacksonville, Fla., has promoted Mike Santarone to CEO. Santarone will oversee all engineering, construction and design operations within the Stellar business units. He began his career with the company in 1985 and has managed nearly 75 food-related projects for Stellar, working with such clients as Kraft Foods, Nestle USA, Oscar Meyer, Ore-Ida, General Mills, Tropicana and Sara Lee.

Juanita’s Foods, Wilmington, Calif., has appointed John Thompson vice president of sales. Thompson has more than three decades of experience in food industry sales and broker management. Prior to joining Juanita’s, he served as vice president of sales for Country Pure Foods, Akron, Ohio, and vice president of sales for Ruiz Foods, Inc., Dinuba, Calif.

Shearer’s Foods, Inc., Brewster, Ohio, has named Amy Hammel its Jack and Rosemary Shearer 2006 Associate of the Year. As the company’s top quality assurance associate, Hammel personally inspects Shearer’s snacks during production and packaging.

In related news, Shearer’s recently recognized associates for service anniversaries of 25, 20 and 10 years. In addition, sanitation supervisor and 17-year Shearer’s associate Jason Hall was awarded a Caribbean cruise for two and a week’s paid vacation for perfect attendance, an annual company award.

Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, Dunmore, Pa., has promoted Shawn M. Sullivan to senior vice president of ingredients and contract manufacturing. Most recently, Sullivan served as vice president of sales, ingredients – East.

The American Bakers Association appointed two new members to its board of directors: Brian Lecomte and Ron Savelli. LeComte is treasurer for Gold Medal Bakery in Fall River, Mass., and has been an active baker member of the association, as well as a participant on the Executive Leadership Development Committee. He is the fourth generation of the LeComte family to work at Gold Medal Bakery, which was founded in 1912 by August LeComte. Savelli became president and CEO of Caravan Ingredients, Lenexa, Kan., in January and will represent ABA’s allied members on the board. Caravan is a subsidiary of CSM Bakery Supplies North America.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has named Andy Haines president, succeeding John Russell of John G. Russell Ltd. of Glasgow, Scotland. Haines is head of logistics at Tate & Lyle Sugars Europe, London. He joined the company in 1979 as an area manager for United Molasses. Haines joined FTA began in the early 1990s. He has been a member of its National Board since 2004.

The Hershey Co., Hershey, Pa., and Barry Callebaut, Zurich, Switzerland, began a strategic supply and innovation partnership. The cooperation will enable the companies to work together to drive long-term growth in the global chocolate market. Under the agreement, Barry Callebaut will construct and operate a facility to provide chocolate for Hershey’s new plant in Monterrey, Mexico. Barry Callebaut also will lease a portion of Hershey’s Robinson, Ill., plant and operate chocolate-making equipment at the facility. The partnership includes a long-term global agreement under which Barry Callebaut will supply Hershey with a minimum of 80,000 tons of chocolate and finished products per year.

John B. Gardetto, Sr., 71, has passed away. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Judy. Gardetto was influential in turning a corner bakery named after his family into a foodservice supplier of breadsticks and other products, including Snack-Ens. Gardetto was president of Gardetto’s until it was sold to General Mills in 1999. His daughter Nanette Gardetto is CEO of Baptista’s Bakery, Franklin, Wis. Donations in Gardetto’s name can be sent to St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, Milwaukee, Wis.; The Gardetto Endowment Blood Center Research Foundation in Milwaukee, or the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic, St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee.