Seattle Fish Co News Archives - Page 2 of 18

Boyer’s 30+ year seafood career and industry expertise brings a fresh perspective to the organization

DENVER CO, June 30 2023 –– The Western Association of Food & Drug Officials (WAFDO) changes bylaws to appoint Seattle Fish Co.’s Ken Boyer as 2023 President. As the first ever industry member to hold an officer position, Boyer draws on 30+ years of seafood industry experience to bring a fresh perspective to the organization that is tasked with keeping the Western region’s food supply safe.

“When I first joined WAFDO nine years ago, I noticed a lack of food industry experts in leadership positions,” shares Boyer. “I’m honored to not only represent the seafood sector, but to invest time in this community to provide a perspective from industry experts. During my presidency this year, I intend to continue WAFDO’s incredible work and to seek to foster increased collaboration from industry experts within the organization and on the leadership board.”

For Boyer, what started as an entry-level job turned into a 30+ year lifelong career dedicated to sustainable seafood with Denver-based Seattle Fish Co. He spent nearly a decade with WAFDO as an associate, and quickly rose through the ranks as not only one of the only industry voices, but the only voice from the seafood sector. He remains on the Seattle Fish Co. team where he trains and mentors other industry members as one of the only AFDO certified instructors in Colorado. He teaches seafood HACCP certified courses to industry and regulatory partners around the country.

“Effective and proactive food safety systems are a cornerstone in building consumer trust in our food supply and Ken is an inspirational leader in this area,” shares Seattle Fish Co. President & CEO, Derek Figueroa. “We’re incredibly proud to have a Seattle Fish Co. employee advocate for our industry in such an impactful way. He’s already making waves by becoming their first industry President, so we can’t wait to see how his passion and dedication reverberates through WAFDO for years to come.”

About WAFDO
The Western Association of Food and Drug Officials (WAFDO) is a non-profit association organized for the purpose of improving communication and cooperation with the respective local, state, and federal programs, and for promoting the development and enforcement of uniform food, drug, and consumer protection laws.

About Seattle Fish Co.
For more than 100 years, Seattle Fish Co. has been dedicated to serving those who serve others. Recognized for playing a major role in making fresh seafood available in the Rocky Mountain region, Seattle Fish Company sources and distributes sustainable seafood and gourmet provisions daily from around the world, providing products of the highest quality to over 1,400 restaurants and retailers. Seattle Fish Co. is dedicated to fostering sustainable fishing practices, including supporting local aquaculture farms, as well as fishery improvement projects around the world, ensuring that seafood as a healthful protein is available for all, for generations to come. For more information, please visit Seattle Fish Company’s website at www.seattlefish.com

Seattle Fish Company & Gourmet Provisions is excited to announce that Sara Salyer has been promoted to Inventory Control Manager, joining the company’s leadership team.

Sara started her career at Seattle Fish in June of 2017 and has worked in a variety of roles, most recently as the Supervisor of Freight and Inventory. In this new Inventory Control Manager position, Sara leads all Inventory and Receiving activities and teams, while also working closely with the Freight and Quality Teams.

The top priority of this position will be to improve inventory accuracy through careful receiving procedures, robust processes that reflect the inventory activity in our warehouse, and reconciling variances to drive improvement. Additionally, Sara will supervise our receiving, inventory, and freight supervisors in this position.

In her new role, Sara has most enjoyed getting to work on transforming our employee experience and increasing our employee engagement. “I enjoy working as a part of a team and am passionate about leading others down the path to finding their true potential,” said Sara.

“From the moment I started working with Sara, I was impressed by her highly engaging leadership style and ability to influence change,” said Chris Franklin, Director of Operations. “She’s been instrumental in implementing process improvement across multiple departments. Sara has a bright future and I’m excited to see her continue to expand her influence across the entire organization.”

Get to know Sara Salyer better by reading her Q&A below!  

What are your favorite ways to unwind outside of work?

My favorite things to do outside of work are spending time with my big, silly family in the mountains, hiking, biking, and camping. I also love live music and I will take any opportunity to be outside dancing at Red Rocks to my favorite bands!

What’s your favorite seafood? How do you like to prepare it?

I can’t pick one favorite! I honestly love them all and am always excited to taste something new and then challenge myself to prepare it at home and introduce it to my family.

This year, Sea Pact has committed to publishing a quarterly newsletter to share information with its members, such as organizational updates, current projects the group is funding, and more. Sea Pact is a group of leading North American Seafood Companies dedicated to driving stewardship and continuous improvement of social, economic, and environmental responsibility throughout the global seafood supply chain.

As a founding member of Sea Pact, Seattle Fish Company is excited to share this quarter’s newsletter with our customers, vendors and community, providing updates and transparency around the work we do within the group.

One of the exciting things mentioned in the newsletter was Sea Pact members and advisors gathering in-person for their annual meeting in Atlanta, which Hamish Walker, Seattle Fish Co.’s Chief Sustainability and Development Officer, attended. During the meeting, Sea Pact members assessed eleven project proposals and selected two for funding to conclude their second funding cycle of the year. Members and advisors also reviewed Sea Pact’s current work plan and strategic priorities, assessing progress as well as opportunities for efforts in 2023.

Time was also dedicated to evaluating new potential strategic priorities and topics, including climate change, US fisheries engagement, and sustainability reporting. Hamish Walker presented on SFC’s efforts to assess the company’s carbon footprint and reduce emissions, providing a model for other Sea Pact members to consider. Sea Pact was also joined by Ocean Strategies for a session on US fishery issues and engagement. There is strong interest from Sea Pact members to further support US fisheries with an approach that aligns with Sea Pact’s responsible domestic aquaculture strategic priority. Outcomes from the meeting will be incorporated into Sea Pact’s 2023 work plan.

Look for more information and updates on these projects in the year to come. If you’d like to sign up to receive Sea Pact’s quarterly newsletters, click here.

Seattle Fish Company & Gourmet Provisions is excited to announce that Mark Holland has been hired as the company’s new Transportation Manager! Mark joined the Seattle Fish team in October 2022, working to improve our customer service, managing our drivers and routing, and implementing new strategies to eliminate mistakes and inefficiencies, so we’re better prepared to satisfy our customers.

Mark grew up in San Diego, CA. After starting his career, he went back to college at the age of 28, attending the University of California in San Diego. He’s been in the supply chain industry for over 30 years, including experience with the United Parcel Service, as well as 4 years as Distribution Manager for Coca-Cola in San Diego. He was then promoted to Warehouse Manager of Coca-Cola, which brought him and his wife Nancy to Colorado.

In his role as Transportation Manager, Mark is ultimately responsible for making sure the products you order arrive to you on time and in the same great condition they were in when they left the Seattle Fish warehouse. This is no easy feat, as our distribution extends across the entire state of Colorado as well as a few surrounding areas, such as Jackson, WY.

Mark had the opportunity to get to know Ken Boyer, SFC Food Safety Quality Assurance Manager, and Will Martin, SFC King Soopers Sales Manager, in one of his previous roles working for a third-party logistics company that operates the King Soopers Perishable Warehouse. He says he was excited to join our time because, “The people here operate at a different level, compared to most places [he’s] worked. There’s a genuine feeling of family here, and every day there’s a legitimate vibe that we’re going to enjoy our time together. This stuff matters.”

In his role so far as Transportation Manager, Mark Holland says that the acquisition of Lombardi Brothers Meats in November 2022 has been his most memorable project to date. “The Lombardi Brothers acquisition has put fascinating opportunities in front of me,” said Mark. “I’m very excited to work on the integration, adding their customers, drivers, and trucks to our network.”

Get to know Mark Holland better by reading his Q&A below!  

What are your favorite ways to unwind outside of work?

We’re very involved with Rocky Mountain Christian Church, in Frederick, CO. We’re also a hockey family. Nancy and I have a 20-Game Package (2 seats) with the Colorado Avalanche. So… June 26, when the boys won The Stanley Cup, will always be a very emotional memory for Nancy and I (and a few of our kids who share the addiction). I have a Harley touring bike. Every year I disappear for long vacation rides, sometimes solo, sometimes with friends. The trips last from 10 to 18 days. The longest so far was over 4,700 miles, solo, through the Southern States. I’ve made 5 trips into the South over the last few years. It’s a completely different terrain than Colorado. I’m looking forward to riding to Oregon this Summer, to visit my sister-in-law, Patty, and her husband, Tim, in Grants Pass. The walls of our home are covered with framed pictures of the Harley in front of famous places and “Welcome to…” state line signs.

What’s your favorite seafood? How do you like to prepare it?

I’m a griller, especially since my last job as the Warehouse & Fulfillment Manager at a start-up called Spark Grills. I love to grill scallops, shrimp and salmon. My favorite dish to prepare on the grill is Chicken & Shrimp Fajitas. First, I grill the shrimp and a couple of chicken breasts, at the same time I’m grilling the peppers and onions. I can fit two 9” cast iron pans on the grill; I put the grilled chicken in one, and the grilled shrimp in the other. Then we add the veggies into the pans, with the seasoning sauces. Brown the tortillas on the grill too. Last step, we bring it all into the house for dinner! Smells amazing, and sizzles all the way to the table.

Thank you to Denver’s Channel 9 News and CO + Company Team for coming to Seattle Fish Co. this past Monday for a “Fishmonger of the Day” experience! Check out the video below to see Dani and Derek discuss the health benefits of seafood, responsible sourcing, and Seattle Fish Co.’s history. They also shuck oysters and filet a fish live!

Category Archives: Seattle Fish Co News

Seattle Fish Co.’s Ken Boyer Becomes First Industry Leader to Hold WAFDO Presidency

Boyer’s 30+ year seafood career and industry expertise brings a fresh perspective to the organization

Meet Sara Salyer – Inventory Control Manager

Get to know Sara Salyer better by reading her Q&A below!

Meet Mark Holland – Transportation Manager

Get to know Mark Holland better by reading his Q&A below!

Fishmonger for the Day with Seattle Fish Co. – Channel 9 News CO + CO