Flowers Foods, Thomasville, Ga., has appointed Craig S. Parr to the newly created position of senior vice president of finance and chief risk officer. Parr comes to Flowers from The Andersons Inc., where he served as vice president of risk management and food ingredient supply.

Parr will report to R. Steve Kinsey, executive vice president and chief financial officer. His initial focus will be on commodity hedging and purchasing strategies. Flowers’ purchasing staff will remain intact, reporting to Parr.

“Volatility in the commodities markets in recent years has caused us to focus even more carefully on our hedging and forward buying strategies for ingredients and other goods, and we are continually looking for ways to further improve our practices,” says Kinsey. “Bringing on someone with Craig’s depth of experience and proven track record with a highly respected commodities-based firm will help us even better manage our purchasing and hedging strategies and risk areas. Craig has shown that he can drive profitability, strengthen financial operations, reduce risk and develop sound strategies, and we are very pleased that he’s joining our team.”

Parr has been an active member of national risk management committees and has spoken frequently about commodity purchasing and risk topics at industry events. He also serves on the board of directors at Mobile Meals Inc. and is a committee member at the National Grain & Feed Association and the Snack Food Association.