Global Cold Chain Alliance names 2026 board leadership

The Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) has named its 2026 board leadership. The volunteer leaders will help guide the organization’s strategic direction.

“These leaders bring the operational expertise, global perspective and strategic vision needed to advance the cold chain at a defining moment for our industry,” GCCA president and CEO Sara Stickler said in a news release. “At a pivotal moment when GCCA is examining our mission, vision, and value, we need leaders who bring the highest levels of thought leadership to the table.”

Earlier this year, the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW) and the International Refrigerated Transportation Association (IRTA) formally merged under the GCCA banner. 

Together, the GCCA board of directors and the Global Cold Chain Foundation (GCCF) board of governors represent the temperature-controlled logistics industry, from refrigerated warehousing and transportation to international development and scientific research.

GCCA board of directors  

• chair: Tim Ludwig, Congebec 
• vice chair: Francisco Moura, IceStar Logistics 
• treasurer: Larry Alderfer, United States Cold Storage 
• secretary: Karen Reece, Eskimo Cold Storage 
• past chair: Jason Dreisbach, Dreisbach Enterprises 
• executive committee members:  
• Andrew Lawrence, Magnavale 
• Richard Patenaude, Congebec 
• Rafael Rocha, Emergent Cold LatAm 
• Sean Vanderelzen, Lineage Logistics 
• At-large board members  
• Scott Albers, Nor-Am Cold Storage  
• Devon Anders, InterChange Group  
• Rich Burke, Konoike-Pacific California  
• Tom Casey, Core X Partners 
• Stephen Draper, Envision Cold 
• Robert Fay, Seminole Gulf Railway/ Florida Freezer 
• Paul Gibbons, Commercial Cold Holdings  
• West Hutchison, Vertical Cold Storage  
• Russell Leo, RLS Logistics  
• Abhy Maharaj, Constellation Cold Logistics  
• Keith Mowery, United States Cold Storage  
• Chris Murphy, Sierra Pacific Warehouse Group  
• Jonas Swarttouw, NewCold 
• John Tippmann III, Tippmann Group- Interstate Warehousing  
• Bryan Verbarendse, Americold Logistics 
• Kris Verbruggen, Frigo Logistics  
• Associate/ industry partner council members  
• Dwight Clark, Jamison Door Co.  
• Don Durm, PLM Fleet  
• Marko Dzeletovich, Coldbox Builders 
• Quinn Vo, Mayekawa 
• Region council members 
• Africa: Newton Matope, Cold Solutions 
• Brazil: Fabio Fonseca, Friozem Logistics 
• Europe: Ben van Leeuwen, Frigolanda Cold 
• Latin America: Rafael Rocha, Emergent Cold LatAm 

GCCF board of governors 

• chair: Adam Forste, Lineage Logistics 
• vice chair: Graham Harvey, NewCold  
• treasurer: Mathew Moore, Americold Logistics 
• past chair: Mickey Hoffmann, United States Cold Storage  
• At-large board members:  
• Owusu Akoto, Freezelink 
• Lisa Battino, United States Cold Storage 
• Justin Brandt, Nor-Am Cold Storage 
• William Duggan, Eskesen Advisory  
• Wes Dye, RefrigiWear  
• Michael Jahncke, council scientific advisor, chair, and professor emeritus, Virginia Tech  
• Andrew Janson, Arcadia Cold Storage  
• Luis Jorge, Rannick/IS Services 
• Niels Lundgaard-Svenstrup, Lineage Logistics 
• Matthew Meredith, Lix | Cap Advisory & Capital   
• Joris Olbrechts, Jodifrost  
• Tom Poe, Crystal Distribution  
• France Pomerleau, Congebec 
• Kirk Robertson, Terra Vista Capital  
• Jake Stefan, ARCO DB Companies 
• Marty Steinmetz, RealCold 
• Bob Tippmann, QuickFreeze  
• Gary White, Lineage Logistics