SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S. — Wilbur-Ellis, a marketer, distributor and manufacturer of agricultural products, animal nutrients and specialty chemicals, announced on Jan. 6 that Molly Hemmeter has joined the company’s board of directors.

Most recently, Hemmeter was chief executive officer, president and board director of Landec Corp., a publicly traded company in the health and wellness space.

During her tenure at Landec, Hemmeter led the acquisition of Lifecore and subsequently its expansion into adjacent markets through organic growth. She also led the turnaround of the food business at Landec, transforming the company from a commodity vegetable enterprise to a branded, innovative natural foods company with sustainable business practices.

Prior to Landec, Hemmeter was vice-president of global marketing and business development at Ashland Chemical. She also was an executive in two software companies, both of which were acquired, and held additional positions in strategy, marketing, engineering and operations in a number of chemical, pharmaceutical and consumer product companies.

“I’m delighted to welcome Molly Hemmeter to the Wilbur-Ellis board of directors,” said John P. Thacher, executive chairman of the Wilbur-Ellis board. “Molly is a visionary leader, with a focus on translating market insights into value creation. That fits perfectly with Wilbur-Ellis, which for nearly a century has been dedicated to helping our customers create value in their businesses.”

Hemmeter said she was optimistic about Wilbur-Ellis’ future.

“This is a family-owned company with a long, accomplished history, spanning nearly 100 years,” she said. “But Wilbur-Ellis also is a company with a focus on the future. The relationships it has built with customers are providing the insights that lead to exciting innovations and opportunities. I am very impressed by the company’s commitment to invest in its people and its businesses, as well as attractive new markets. This reflects an organization with the vision, resources and confidence to set its own course, and I am proud to be a part of the Wilbur-Ellis team.”