GEMI Announces 2010 Board of Directors: GEMI to Be Led by Maurice Bechard, JohnsonDiversey

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Jan 05, 2010, 10:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) has announced the new Board of Directors.

Chairing the GEMI Board of Directors for 2010 will be Maurice (Moe) Bechard, Vice President, Global EH&S, JohnsonDiversey, Inc. "I am pleased and proud that the GEMI membership has selected me to serve as the Chair of the Board of Directors. GEMI is comprised of leading global companies committed to seeking innovative environmental and sustainable solutions for business. GEMI continues to build a legacy of EH&S and sustainability leadership and commitment, and I am honored to be selected to help lead GEMI in 2010," stated Bechard.

Bechard added, "We have two new members of the Board, Bill Gill, Smithfield Foods who will be leading our Communications and Marketing Committee and Neville Dias, Carnival Corporation & PLC, who will be leading our Benchmarking Committee this year. We would also like to thank the two Board members who will be leaving the Board this year, Angie Grooms of Duke Energy and Gregg Belardo, Wyeth," continued Bechard.

GEMI's Board of Directors for 2010 includes:

Chair: Maurice Bechard, Vice President Global EH&S, JohnsonDiversey, Inc.

Vice Chair: Keith Miller, Manager, Environmental Initiatives and Sustainability, 3M

Finance: Steve Schwalb, Vice President, Environmental Sustainability, Perdue Incorporated

Tools: Leslie Montgomery, Environmental Stewardship Program Manager, Southern Company

Membership: Lindell Sneed, Manager, Environmental Programs, Abbott

Communications: Bill Gill, Assistant Vice President, Environmental Affairs, Smithfield Foods, Inc.

Benchmark: Neville Dias, Director, Reporting and Analysis, Carnival Corporation & plc

Senior Advisory Council (SAC): Bill Lechner, Vice President, EHS & Security, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company

Steve Hellem, Executive Director of GEMI states "During the 20 years that GEMI has been providing value to its members, the organization has always been comprised of leaders who work together to help each other prepare to address strategic and emerging issues that impact their companies and business. The GEMI membership has elected an outstanding Board for 2010 that will aggressively meet the challenges and opportunities facing EH&S and sustainability professionals and the companies that they represent."

GEMI members include: 3M; Abbott; Biogen Idec; BNSF Railway Company; Carnival Corporation & plc; ConAgra Foods; Duke Energy; DuPont; Eastman Kodak Company; Ecolab, Inc.; FedEx; Johnson & Johnson; Johnson Controls, Inc.; JohnsonDiversey, Inc.; Kraft Foods Inc.; Merck & Company, Inc.; Occidental Petroleum Corporation; Perdue Incorporated.; The Procter & Gamble Company; The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company; Smithfield Foods, Inc.; and, Southern Company.

For more information, please visit GEMI's website at www.gemi.org

For More Information Contact: Arielle Brown, GEMI, 202-296-7449

SOURCE GEMI