The American Beverage Association (ABA), Washington, D.C., announced the election of five members to its board of directors.

Steve Ford, chief executive officer of LinPepCo Partnership, was elected for his first term on the board, while Jerry Fowden, chief executive officer of Cott Corp.; Seth Goldman, president and TeaEO of Honest Tea; Andrew Moore, co-president of Bigfoot Beverages; and Anthony Varni, president and chief executive officer of Varni Brothers Corp., were elected for a second term.

“I am pleased to welcome these exceptional leaders in our industry to ABA’s board of directors,” said Claude Nielsen, chair of ABA’s board of directors and president and chief executive officer of Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United Inc., in a statement. “Our industry is known for its leadership in advancing meaningful solutions, and I look forward to the fresh perspectives and valuable insight of our new board members as we continue our commitment to our consumers, customers and communities.”

Susan Neely, ABA president and chief executive officer, added in a statement: “The ABA board of directors provides critical leadership and decision making, which are vital to presenting a unified voice as an industry. We are privileged to have such a committed and talented group of industry leaders at the helm of our organization, and we anticipate that the diverse experience our new board members bring will add significant value.”

Members of ABA’s board of directors serve a four-year term and participate in semi-annual meetings that help shape association policy and initiatives. With the addition of these new members, ABA’s board of directors now consists of 29 members.