ATCHISON, KANSAS, US — MGP Ingredients, Inc. has elected two new members to its board of directors: Gerardo (Gerry) Lopez and Martin Roper. Meanwhile, Preet Michelson has resigned from the board, giving MGPI’s board nine directors, eight of whom are independent directors.

Lopez was previously president and chief executive officer of AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary, AMC Entertainment, Inc. Prior to that he was executive vice president at Starbucks Coffee Co. and president of its Global Consumer Products, Seattle’s Best Coffee, and Foodservice divisions. He also was executive-in-residence and operating partner at Softbank Investment Advisers, Inc. Lopez is also on the board of directors of CBRE Group, Inc., Newell Brands Inc., and Realty Income Corp. and previously was on several boards, including Brinker International, Inc., Extended Stay America, Inc., AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc., and TXU, Inc.

Roper is CEO and member of the board of Vita Coco Co. He also serves on the board of Fintech, a leading solutions provider for beverage alcohol retailers and distributors. He previously was CEO of The Boston Beer Co. and was on its board of directors as well as on the board of LL Flooring Holdings, Inc. and Bio-Nutritional Research Group, Inc.