Setting the course with leadership and experience

Staff

Dr. Craig Morris

Chief Executive Officer

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Dr. Craig Morris

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Craig Morris is a passionate advocate and ambassador for the U.S. food and agriculture industry and has dedicated his entire professional career to advancing the interests of various U.S. agricultural commodities. Craig currently serves as the chief executive officer for GAPP. By leveraging both new and existing partnerships and a keen sense of marketing know-how, Craig works to identify new markets and further develop relationships with the industry’s most critical customers to continue growing demand for Wild Alaska Pollock.

Craig previously served as the vice president of International Marketing for the National Pork Board (NPB). In this role, he oversaw the development and execution of NPB’s international marketing strategy.

Prior to this role, Craig served as a deputy administrator in the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service where he oversaw the Agency's marketing efforts for the meat, poultry, egg, fish, grain, and seed industries. Earlier work experience with the Agency included serving as an international marketing specialist, working to gain entry and build demand for U.S. meat products in foreign markets. Apart from government service, Craig served as the assistant vice president of Food Safety for Future Beef Operations, LLC, in Arkansas City, Kansas, and as the manager of Scientific and Technical Affairs for the American Meat Institute.

Craig received his Bachelor of Science degree with Distinction in Animal Science from Iowa State University and served as a regent’s graduate fellow while earning his Doctorate in Animal Science from Texas A&M University.

Jonathan Ochoa

Marketing & Membership Manager

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Jonathan Ochoa

Marketing & Membership Manager

Jon joins GAPP with years of experience in marketing and a background in working with various industries. Prior to joining GAPP, Jon has gained agency experience as well as spent some time working within the CPG industry, honing his skills in Marketing Strategy and Creative Content Creation. He looks to use his skills to develop innovative campaigns that showcase the quality and sustainability of Wild Alaska Pollock. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for design, he will help the company tell the story of GAPP in a meaningful way.

Ron Rogness

Director, Industry Relations, Partnerships & Fishery Analysis

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Ron Rogness

Director, Industry Relations, Partnerships & Fishery Analysis

Ron Rogness joins GAPP as Director of Industry Relations, Partnerships and Fishery Analysis. Ron Rogness previously served as an economic advisor to the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers. Prior to this role, he was Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Relations for American Seafoods Group in Seattle, Washington. Ron also spent eleven years in seafood purchasing for Long John Silver’s Restaurants and then, after LJS was purchased by Yum! Brands, served seven years in seafood purchasing and government affairs for the Unified Foodservice Purchasing Cooperative, the exclusive supply chain manager for Yum! Brands U.S. restaurants. Ron started his career in the seafood industry in 1980 as a commercial fisherman, first in Washington State and later Alaska. After graduate work in fisheries economics at University of Alaska, he served as staff economist for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in Anchorage Alaska. Following three years with the Council, Ron spent five years as staff economist and West Coast Government Relations Representative at the National Fisheries Institute.

Julie Cisco

Special Projects & Events Coordinator

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Julie Cisco

Special Projects & Events Coordinator

Julie brings to GAPP many years of experience in the maritime sector, commercial fishing and seafood processing in Alaska, as well as other areas including the Gulf of Mexico and South America.  She has worked on Wild Alaska Pollock trawlers and other commercial boats.  She assists GAPP with events, committee and Board meetings and membership services.  Julie is a shared employee with the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation 

Advisors

Sharon Ripps

Research Advisor

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Sharon Ripps

Research Advisor

Sharon Ripps is a principle and co-founder of R3 Consulting LLC and helps clients develop products, targeting and communication strategy against consumer, professional and retail audiences. Sharon brings decades of experience providing insights, strategy and consulting to executives in consumers packaged goods, adult beverages, financial services and healthcare at clients including AMEX, PepsiCo, Nestle, Pernod-Ricard, ABInbev, GILT Groupe, American Seafoods Group, Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers and others.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bob Desautel

Chairman

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Bob Desautel

Chairman

Co-founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer Global Seas

Bob Desautel is co-founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Global Seas and Nina Fisheries, Inc. In 1994, he co-founded Nina Fisheries, which rapidly expanded globally to Chile and Argentina four years later. In 2001, Desautel co-founded Global Seas, a subsidiary of Nina Fisheries, which quickly became one of the West Coast’s premier vessel management companies. Under Desautel’s direction, Global Seas expanded its business operations on the East Coast as co-owner of the seafood processing company Norpel and into the maritime research field as owner and operator of the R/V Mt. Mitchell.

In 1978, while studying business at the University of Nevada, Desautel began his career as a deckhand fishing in the North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea. Taking quickly to the industry and advancing to Captain in 1980, he went on to serve as Captain of various fishing vessels until 2002, when he retired from the ocean to focus solely on the expansion of Global Seas.

Since making the transition from the wheelhouse, Desautel has worked tirelessly at promoting Wild Alaska Pollock and educating the public about the benefits and attributes of the fish. Desautel was instrumental in the re-formation of the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP 2.0) and now serves on the Board of Directors and Chairs the organization’s sustainability committee. As Chair, Desautel championed the industry’s first-ever Life Cycle Assessment to measure the fishery’s carbon footprint – bringing third-party scientific credibility to the notion that Wild Alaska Pollock has a lower environmental impact than practically any other protein source on the planet. Desautel is such an evangelist for the species that he has coined the phrase “Wild Alaska Pollock is good for you and good for the planet” and has served as a spokesperson for the fish and fishery—and its incredibly low carbon footprint—alongside GAPP CEO, appearing on Fox News, ABC News, and in multiple print publications including Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and Good News Network.

Desautel has served as President and Member of the Board of the North Pacific Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association, advocating safety education for the commercial fishing industry by providing information about USCG requirements, OSHA compliance standards, MARPOL, hands-on training programs, and safety seminars and workshops. In 1993, Desautel co-founded United Catcher Boats, served as a Member of the Board, and later as Vice President, all the while promoting the organization’s importance to the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and West Coast fisheries. His efforts serving on these Boards, as well as his involvement in other organizations, have improved safety and created efficiencies in the commercial fishing and maritime industries.

Bob resides in Seattle, WA with his wife Hallie, and children. Despite his dedication to growing Global Seas and his latest venture, Norpel, Bob continues to keep his United States Coast Guard (issue no.7) Masters 3000 ITC License current.

Doug Christensen

Treasurer

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Doug Christensen

Treasurer

Arctic Storm Holding Company

Doug Christensen joined Arctic Storm Holding Company LLC in October of 1986 and was promoted to president in 1992. Today, Doug holds the additional title of CEO. Doug attended the University of Washington and earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting. In addition to his GAPP board membership, Doug serves as chairman of the United States Surimi Commission, as president of the Pollock Conservation Cooperative, and as director of the At-Sea Processors Association.

Hunter Berns

Director

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Hunter Berns

Director

Hunter Berns is the General Manager of Bering North LLC,  which owns and operates 9 catcher vessels that operate in the Bering Sea pollock and cod fisheries and the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries. Hunter was born and raised in Kodiak, Alaska where he grew up fishing for salmon seining and gillnetting for his parents around Kodiak Island. He holds a M.S. in Marine Resource Management from Oregon State University. He is also honored to serve as President of United Catcher Boats, a trade group that represents and advocates for trawl catcher vessels in Alaska and the West Coast.

 

He is father to three amazing young children and husband to his beautiful wife, Sarah. He enjoys cooking and making woodfired pizza with his family, and enjoying the beautiful areas around Washington.

Joe Bundrant

Director

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Joe Bundrant

Director

Trident Seafoods

Joseph L. Bundrant, son of company founder Chuck Bundrant, is the chief executive officer of Trident Seafoods Corporation headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Starting with a single vessel in 1973, Trident now operates a fleet of modern offshore vessels, shore-based primary processing operations, and critical independent fleet support services located in coastal communities throughout Alaska. Trident also owns facilities in Seattle, Anacortes, Bellingham, and Everett. With secondary processing facilities and sales offices located around the globe, Trident has grown to become the largest vertically integrated seafood harvesting and processing company in North America.

Born on the remote island of Kodiak, Alaska, Joe has continued the tradition of growing the family-owned business from the inside out; nurturing loyal employees and fishermen while extending Trident’s brand and trusted reputation around the globe. Married to his high school sweetheart for more than 30 years, Joe and Mary live in Richmond Beach, Washington and take great pride in their two married daughters, three sons, and two grandchildren.

Eric Deakin

Director

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Eric Deakin

Director

Coastal Villages Region Fund

Eric Deakin is the Chief Executive Officer at Coastal Villages Region Fund. Before serving as CEO, Eric was the Chief Operating Officer from 2018-2020. He began at Coastal Villages as an IT Manager in July of 2008 and has been with the company since. 

Before starting his career, Eric attended University of Phoenix. In 1998, Eric started working at Xerox as a Senior Systems Analyst and used his technical expertise there for more than 7 years. After working at Xerox, Eric transitioned to TKC Communications where he diligently served as the Director of Alaska/Pacific Operations. 

Eric represents the at-sea processors sector of the Wild Alaska Pollock industry on the GAPP Board of Directors and offers highly valuable insights to help further the mission of GAPP.

Tom Enlow

Director

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Tom Enlow

Director

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Tom was educated at Brigham Young and Seattle Pacific University to teach secondary education. In February of 1989, after having taught and coached high school students for several years, he took his experiences in warehousing and inventory from his summer job at a friend’s company, joined UniSea and relocated to Dutch Harbor/Unalaska. Tom began his career with UniSea in inventory control, and soon moved on to production support and administrative management.  In 1999, Tom was assigned to direct UniSea’s Hospitality Division by managing the operations of the Grand Aleutian Hotel and the Harbor View Inn and their associated food, beverage, and sales outlets.  In 2013 Tom was promoted to Executive Vice President of UniSea where he works closely with the Directors and Managers of UniSea’s Dutch Harbor Operations.  In January of 2015 Tom was promoted to President CEO of UniSea following the sudden and unexpected passing of UniSea CEO Terry Shaff.

Tom’s favorite leadership quote comes from Marian Anderson who said:  “Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.”

Affiliations:

Pacific Seafood Processors Association:  Director

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute:  Director

SeaShare:  Director

Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation:  Director

 

Tom joined UniSea in 1989 holding various leadership positions prior to being named President and CEO in 2015.  Aside from his responsibilities at UniSea, Tom serves as a Director of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association, serves on the Board of Directors for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, as well as SeaShare, which is the Seafood Industry’s answer to hunger in the US providing quality seafood protein to those in need.  

Einar Gustafsson

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Einar Gustafsson

Einar Gustafsson is the Chief Executive Officer of American Seafoods. A longtime seafood and fresh foods leader with extensive experience developing and growing worldwide seafood organizations, Einar returned to his roots at American Seafoods in 2022 after previously working at American Pride Seafoods nearly two decades ago.

Einar served previously as CEO, Americas and Europe for Gong Cha, one of the most recognized worldwide bubble tea brands. At Gong Cha, Einar was responsible for scaling the brand’s presence in the Northern Hemisphere and driving substantial revenue and store count growth. Prior to that, Gustafsson was Managing Director at Bakkavor Asia, where for 15 years he led all aspects of the $2 billion fresh prepared food group's entry into the Asian markets.

Originally from Iceland, Einar has always had strong ties to the seafood industry. Einar moved to the United States at a young age and went on to earn a BS in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. He began his career as a consultant at Deloitte Consulting within the Braxton Associates strategy division. While at Deloitte, Gustafsson was named a Deloitte Scholar and graduated with an MBA from Columbia Business School, which was sponsored by the Deloitte program.

John Henderschedt

Director

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John Henderschedt

Director

John is the President and CEO of Phoenix Processor Limited Partnership. He started his career in the seafood industry in 1986 as a Russian-speaking joint venture representative on Soviet processing vessels. He then worked in several executive positions in the Alaska seafood processing sector, including at Phoenix Processor from 2001 to 2011. Before returning to Phoenix Processor in 2019, John was employed by Duke University as Executive Director of Fisheries Leadership and Sustainability Forum and by NOAA Fisheries as its Director of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection. John served on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council for seven years and currently serves as a member of National Fisheries Institute Executive Committee, the Chairman of Pacific Seafood Processors Association, and the President of the Alaska pollock Mothership Fleet Cooperative. In his free time, John enjoys cooking, sport fishing, and solving the New York Times crossword.

Mark JoHahnson

Director

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Mark JoHahnson

Director

Westward Seafoods

Mark JoHahnson serves as president of Westward Seafoods and Alyeska Seafoods, the U.S. subsidiaries of Maruha-Nichiro Group. Mark was appointed to this role in 2015 and has worked with the company since 1994. Mark has served on the GAPP board of directors since 2015.

Jim Johnson

Director

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Jim Johnson

Director

Glacier Fish Company

 

Jim Johnson is President, Chief Executive Officer and a partner in Glacier Fish Company (Glacier), which owns and operates two American Fisheries Act catcher processors and Glacier is an owner in and manager of North Star Fishing Company which owns four multi-species ground fish catcher processors including a brand new state of the art vessel commissioned in 2021. Jim is a board member of Glacier Fish Company and North Star Fishing Company, is board President of the At-Sea Processors Association (APA), and is a board member of the Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative. Prior to his current Role at Glacier, Jim served as President of Glacier since 2011 and was Glacier’s Vice President of Corporate Finance and Development starting in 2009. Prior to his career at Glacier, Jim was a Managing Director and regional division head at KeyBanc Capital Markets with a focus on maritime industries and started his career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at PNC Capital Markets Metals and Mining Division. Jim has a degree from the University of Rochester studying Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration and a master’s degree from the Joseph M. Katz School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh.

Grant Mirick

Director

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Grant Mirick

Director

Chief Operating Officer, Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association

Grant Mirick is the chief operating officer and oversees APICDA’s subsidiaries. Grant has been involved in the Alaska fishing and processing industries for more than 30 years with positions and activities in corporate management, production management, quality control, domestic and international seafood sales and commercial fishing. After working his way through college with fishing industry jobs in Unalaska and Kodiak, Grant moved to Kodiak full-time in the early 1980s to work for Ocean Beauty Seafoods. In 1993 he accepted a job managing the Kodiak Salmon Packers facility in Larsen Bay and worked between Seattle and the village of Larsen Bay for the next 13 years. Community outreach and joint projects with the community of Larsen Bay were some of the most memorable and rewarding parts of his job. He went to work for Snopac Products in 2007 as the director of sales and in 2010 was promoted to chief operating officer, which included overseeing operations in Dillingham and the M/V Snopac Innovator. After the sale of Snopac Products in 2013, Grant went to work for Welmar Pacific as their vice president of operations where he led the team for Alaska salmon sales.

 

James Mize

Director

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James Mize

Director

President, Golden Alaska Seafoods

 

OUR MEMBERS

The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers is dedicated to building demand for and awareness of Wild Alaska Pollock. GAPP unites the Wild Alaska Pollock industry around this common, core goal.

GAPP membership is comprised of Wild Alaska Pollock harvesters, community development quota groups, and at-sea and shore-based processors.

Akutan Catcher Vessel Assoc.
Alyeska Seafoods
American Seafoods
Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Assoc.
Arctic Fjord/Arctic Storm
Bristol Bay Economic Development Corp.
Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Assoc.
Coastal Villages Region Fund

Glacier Fish Company
Golden Alaska Seafoods
High Seas Catchers’ Co-op
Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative
Norton Sound Economic Development Corp.
Ocean Beauty Seafoods
Phoenix Processor Limited Partnership

Trident Seafoods
Unalaska Fleet Cooperative
UniSea
UniSea Fleet Cooperative
Westward Fleet Cooperative
Westward Seafoods
Westward Seafoods, Northern Victor Division

Associate members

GAPP associate members represent all facets of the industry.  

 

Mako

Trans-Ocean Products
USI Insurance Services

Gold

Aquamar
Channel Fish
Delta Western
Gallagher Insurance
Gorton’s Seafood
High Liner Foods
King & Prince Seafood
Kongsberg Underwater Technology

Silver

BAADER
Frontier Packaging
Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP
KeyBank
Marel
NORPEL
Perkins Coie
Rabobank
Three Bears Alaska
Western Pioneer, Inc.

Bronze

AgWest FCS
Alaska Reefer Management
Arion Banki
Beck Pack Systems
CFE Seafoods
Coastal Transportation
Gadre USA, Inc.
Girard Wood Products
Highland Refrigeration
Ikonika Automation
Industrial Resources, Inc.
International Paper Olympia
Islandsbanki
K&L Gates LLP
Kloosterboer Dutch Harbor
Lafferty's EMS
OSU Surimi School
Pacific Stevedoring
Skipsteknisk AS
Sugiyo USA
Wells Fargo
Young Ocean, Inc
Zep, Inc. | AFCO

BECOME AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER

Join the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers as an associate member and help guide our industry to its best days ever.

SEE ALL MEMBER BENEFITS >

ASSOCIATE MEMBER APPLICATION FORM >

GAPP COMMITTEES

STEERING COMMITTEE

Purpose: The steering committee will be responsible for assisting GAPP with its short-term and long-term strategic planning and ensuring that the organization is meeting its stated goals. Overarchingly, the steering committee will be responsible for connecting the dots between the three GAPP committees that sit below it (Marketing, Research, Partnership), ensuring cross-functional collaboration and measuring committee and GAPP output against the set individual plans. This committee will also be instrumental in planning the long-term GAPP budget and ensuring industry alignment and support around GAPP’s mission and vision. In the long-term, the committee will work with GAPP to draft and gain alignment around a multi-year strategic plan and consideration for dues increase. View the charter here.

Read the GAPP Strategic Plan for 2023-24 here

Staff Contact: Craig Morris, Chief Executive Officer
Committee Members:
  • Jason Martin, Golden Alaska (Chair)
  • Rasmus Soerensen, American Seafoods
  • Bart Lovejoy, Glacier Fish Company
  • Grant Mirick, APICDA
  • Jeb Towne, Global Seas
  • Jake Holbrook, Gorton's
  • Elizabeth Reed, Westward Fleet Cooperative

MARKETING COMMITTEE

Purpose: To prioritize all marketing and communications projects within the assigned marketing budget, review content and materials, provide guidance and expertise to agency partners and GAPP staff about campaigns and initiatives, and ensure that such campaigns, projects, and initiatives are aligned with GAPP’s strategic plan, meet their intended objectives, and deliver against the overarching goal to increase awareness and demand for Wild Alaska Pollock. View the charter here.

Staff Contacts: Craig Morris, GAPP CEO
Jon Ochoa, Marketing & Membership Coordinator 
Committee Members:
  • Analise Gonzales, Trident Seafoods (Chair)
  • Bob Desautel, Global Seas 
  • Amy Dukes, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute 
  • Patrick McGrath, Gorton's Seafood
  • Palak Agarwal, American Seafoods
  • Mike Tigani, King & Prince
  • Kristy Payne, Trans-Ocean

 

 

RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Purpose: To guide GAPP’s data and research efforts so that GAPP continues to deepen its understanding of Wild Alaska Pollock, the fishery, its competition, the key products produced from it (both raw and finished goods), its consumers, and sales channels. The Committee will ensure that that GAPP is addressing the industry’s critical information needs, to understand consumer attitudes and perceptions to inform our collective marketing efforts and to guide the development of our analyses, reporting and research programs. View the charter here.

Staff Contacts:
Sharon Ripps, Research Advisor
Ron Rogness, Director, Industry Relations, Partnerships & Fishery Analysis 
Committee Members:
  • Rafn Arnason, Islandsbanki​
  • Doug Christensen, Arctic Storm 
  • Mike Campanile, Trident Seafoods
  • Lars Fanth, Arctic Storm
  • Jason Martin, Golden Alaska
  • Doug Coffman, Trans Ocean
  • Lauren Hasse, Ketchum
  • L. B. Watkins, King & Prince
  • Larry Ireland, Gorton's

Read GAPP's 2023-24 Strategic Plan here