Feb 22, 2018

Tart cherry industry hires strategic marketing director

The Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) and Cherry Industry Administrative Board (CIAB) have hired Lynn Vollbrecht as director of strategic marketing.

Vollbrecht— seasoned communication and marketing professional with a passion for food and agriculture—joined the nonprofits’ staff in mid-February.

In her new role, Vollbrecht will work with CMI and CIAB to increase the awareness and consumption of American-grown Montmorency cherries by leveraging existing marketing strategies and seeking out new and innovative opportunities.

“We are so excited that Lynn joined our team here at the CIAB. Her experience and enthusiasm will help us build on the successes of our promotion programs,” said Mollie Woods, executive director of the CIAB. “Now more than ever we need someone who will work their hardest for our industry and I believe we have found that in Lynn.”

While Vollbrecht originally hails from a Minnesotan farming family, she comes to Michigan by way of Wisconsin, one of the seven states (also included are New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Washington) whose cherry-growers and handlers her work will now support. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Beloit College, and after gaining experience in the fields of journalism, higher education, marketing research and the food industry, she most recently served as the business development and marketing manager for a healthcare system in southern Wisconsin.

“I’m thrilled to be working with such a great group of people and such a versatile, exceptional commodity,” Vollbrecht says. “What I’m most looking forward to in the coming months is meeting and learning from Montmorency cherry growers, handlers, and consumers, here in Michigan and beyond.”

Michigan leads the nation in production of Montmorency tart cherries, the varietal comprising the majority of the nation’s tart cherry production; the state produces about 75 percent of the U.S.’s annual tart cherry crop.

The Cherry Marketing Institute is a nonprofit organization funded by North American tart cherry growers and processors whose mission is to increase the demand for Montmorency tart cherries through promotion, market expansion, product development, and research. For more information, including scientific research, recipes, serving ideas, and product forms, visit www.choosecherries.com.