Juneau, Alaska: The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) recently announced two additions to the seafood marketing team that represents the Alaska seafood industry which accounts for nearly 60% of United States seafood. Susan Marks SM was brought on board to oversee ASMI’s Sustainability program, which includes the management of the AK RFM certification program while Michael Kohan will head the seafood technical program.
Susan Marks joined Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) as a Sustainability Consultant in July 2014 and has now been named Sustainability Director. She directs Alaska’s Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification program, ensuring that the best sustainable seafood practices are represented worldwide. She also oversees RFM program marketing, outreach and communications, including stakeholder advisory committees, stakeholder consultations and industry trainings, as well as represents Alaska at industry conferences.
Susan’s seafood career started with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as a Commercial Manager where she promoted the use of the MSC ecolabel throughout the seafood supply chain and increased awareness of the MSC program in the North American market. She later joined the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program as Senior Partnership Manager. There she oversaw the business relationships with major seafood buyers in the retail and food service sectors and consulted with corporate partners and their supply chains to develop and implement sustainable seafood programs, initiatives and commitments. She holds a BA in Communications from Washington State University and is a Seattle native.
“Susan has already proven herself to be a valuable member of the ASMI team and we look forward to working with her to support the Alaska seafood industry’s sustainability messaging,” said ASMI Executive Director Alexa Tonkovich.
Michael Kohan comes to ASMI from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Southeast Alaska where she worked as a wildlife biologist. She holds an M.S. in Fisheries from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she studied the variation in abundance and condition of juvenile chum salmon in response to marine factors in Southeast Alaska. She previously worked as a research contractor with NOAA where she collected everything from zooplankton to spiny dogfish in the Bering Sea down to the Eastern Gulf of Alaska.
Ms. Kohan will work with the ASMI Technical committee, composed of industry seafood experts, and work closely with ASMI marketing staff in matters of health, food safety, nutrition, contaminants and other issues that affect Alaska Seafood products in the market place
“Michael brings a wealth of knowledge and skills that will serve the Alaska Seafood industry very well filling a position that is critical to the industry,” said Ms. Tonkovich.
About Alaska Seafood:
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is a partnership of the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry. ASMI works to promote the benefits of wild and sustainable Alaska seafood and offer seafood industry education. For more than 50 years, Alaska has been dedicated to sustainable seafood. It’s so essential to our way of life that our constitution mandates that fish are “utilized, developed and maintained on the sustained yield principle.” The seafood industry is Alaska’s largest private sector employer, and as a result, Alaskans understand the need to protect the fisheries and surrounding habitats for future generations. We’re proud of our leadership in sustainable management, which has led to an ever-replenishing supply of wild seafood for markets around the world.
Source: The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI)