Global ID Appoints Food Testing Industry Executive, Brad Riemenapp, as Chief Executive Officer

FAIRFIELD, Iowa, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global ID Group, a Paine Schwartz Partners, LLC portfolio company and a market leading platform dedicated to providing food safety and food quality solutions, today announced that, in connection with its succession planning, Brad Riemenapp has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and will be joining the Company in October.  Mr. Riemenapp succeeds Ken Ross, who is stepping into a strategic advisory role after 11 years of service as CEO. 

"Helping build Global ID into an international leader in food safety solutions has been the highlight of my career and I am extremely proud of all that we have accomplished," said Mr. Ross.  "With Global ID entering its next phase of growth, both by adding new food safety services and scale in international operations, I believe that now is the right time for the Company to make this planned leadership transition.  I am confident that Brad's operational expertise and commercial leadership experience provide a good foundation to continue driving the execution of the Company's strategy.  I look forward to continuing to assist Global ID in key strategic areas including, among others, our work with the Non-GMO Project and the ProTerra Foundation, as well as our emerging supply chain management business." 

"Global ID is a true leader in the food safety industry and it is an honor to join this talented and committed team," said Mr. Riemenapp.  "I appreciate the role Ken played in helping transform the Company from a small business into a multinational, market-leading business at the forefront of the rapidly evolving food safety industry.  With the demand for food safety services on the rise, I am truly excited about the opportunities that we have in front of us.  Working with Ken, the highly talented Global ID team, and their partners at Paine Schwartz, I am confident that we will drive growth by continuing to provide customers with Global ID's market-leading portfolio of food safety and quality solutions." 

About Brad Riemenapp
Mr. Riemenapp previously led the Food Solutions Division of Covance, Inc., serving as Global Vice President and General Manager.  He was responsible for all operational and commercial aspects of the business globally, including analytical testing services in Inorganic Chemistry, Proximate/Lipids Chemistry, Vitamin Chemistry, Microvitamin Chemistry, Microbiology, Food Packaging, Pesticides, Product Development and a wide range of Food Consulting Services.  Mr. Riemenapp joined Covance in 2010 and previously served as Vice President of Operations, where he was responsible for driving cultural change, making the Food Solutions business more customer-centric and improving its processes.  Prior to joining Covance, Mr. Riemenapp worked for thirteen years at Kimberly Clark Corporation.  He holds a Master in Business Administration from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin Madison and a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from San Diego.

About Global ID 
Global ID Group companies provide integrated food safety and food quality solutions that address the challenges and opportunities in the rapidly evolving food industry. Serving more than 15,000 clients in over 100 countries with a market-leading portfolio of testing, inspection, certification, and consulting services, the Global ID Group helps companies navigate the increasingly regulated global food economy demanding higher levels of transparency, accountability, safety and sustainability.

About Paine Schwartz Partners 
A global leader in sustainable food chain investing, Paine Schwartz Partners is a private equity firm that focuses on investment opportunities in the fast-growing, dynamic global food and agribusiness sectors.  The firm's investment, operations and finance professionals invest throughout cycles across the food and agribusiness value chain and bring a collaborative and active management approach to portfolio companies.  The firm currently invests through its $893 million Paine Schwartz Food Chain Fund IV, which is solely dedicated to food and agribusiness investing.  For further information, see www.paineschwartz.com.

Contacts:
Andy Brimmer / Aaron Palash
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
+1 212-355-4449

SOURCE Global ID Group