Food Alliance Names New Executive Director

The board of directors for Food Alliance, a Portland-based nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture, recently named a new executive director.

The board named Scott. Exo, who has served as the organization’s director of Northwest programs since 1999, to lead the organization. He replaces Deborah Kane, who served as executive director since Food Alliance’s incorporation in 1997. Ms. Kane will remain involved in Food Alliance’s market development and consulting work.

Of the change, board president Jana McLellan said, “In his last four years with the organization, Scott has demonstrated tremendous skill and determination as he led a five-fold increase in the number of certified farms, and expansion of the Northwest market development program from retail to food service, restaurants and wholesalers. Choosing Scott to lead the organization in its next phase was an easy decision for the board.”

Exo has over 15 years of non-profit experience. Prior to joining Food Alliance, Scott served as the director of the Grassroots Leadership Project at 1000 Friends of Oregon, a land use planning and advocacy organization. In addition to his work in Oregon, Scott has managed overseas rural development and study abroad programs and consulted to a range of community organizations and nonprofits. He holds Masters Degrees in Geography and in Urban and Regional Planning.

Exo said, “Food Alliance’s early leaders shared a vision of farms and ranches rewarded for their care of the land and their communities by citizens who want to know where their food comes from and how it’s grown. That vision is increasingly becoming a reality. And Food Alliance is helping to build it, one farm, one buyer, and one business relationship at a time. I’m pleased to be part of that.”

About Food Alliance
Food Alliance (www.foodalliance.org), a national non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, is dedicated to promoting expanded use of sustainable agriculture practices using market-based incentives. Food Alliance operates one of the nation’s leading certification programs for environmentally friendly and socially responsible agricultural practices, and actively develops new markets for certified products. To date, Food Alliance has certified over 200 different agricultural products on farms and ranches is 10 states, including fruits, vegetables, wheat, wine, livestock and dairy. Food Alliance has an affiliate office in St. Paul, Minnesota.