WATERBURY, VT (January 22, 2008) – Green Mountain Coffee, a division of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) announced that it has hired Tom Novak as Vice President, Product and Process Development, effective immediately.
Novak joins Green Mountain Coffee with more than 28 years of experience in product, process, and package development for consumer packaged goods and foods. He has served in a variety of R&D and executive roles at Procter & Gamble and Masterfoods USA, a division of Mars, Inc. At both companies, his leadership of product development and engineering functions generated successful product launches and rapid growth. Most recently, Novak was affiliated with Groover & Associates in Dallas, TX, where he specialized in technical intellectual property, including patent prosecution and portfolio management. Novak received his BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a law degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. He is also registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
In this new position at Green Mountain Coffee, Novak will lead research and development projects and business development activities. He will centralize Green Mountain Coffee’s new product processes to meet consumer needs through innovative product launches as well as packaging technologies that preserve the high quality of these products. In addition, he will expand the organization’s ability to capture and protect these innovations to fuel long-term growth.
“This role at Green Mountain Coffee is the perfect complement for my background in R&D and intellectual property as well as my passion for coffee,” said Novak. “It’s personally gratifying to join a company that emphasizes environmental and social responsibility, and that provides exciting opportunities to innovate in ways that enhance consumer enjoyment of both Green Mountain Coffee and the Keurig Single-Cup Brewing System.”
Scott McCreary, Chief Operating Officer for Green Mountain Coffee said, “We’re so pleased to welcome Tom to Green Mountain Coffee. The combination of his in-depth knowledge of R&D with his expertise in intellectual property adds tremendous value to our brand. We believe that Tom’s insights and seasoned experience will allow us to capitalize on the significant growth potential in the single-cup market and help us continue on our path of sustainable growth.”
About Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) is recognized as a leader in the specialty coffee industry for its award-winning coffees and successful business practices. The Company sells over 100 high quality selections, including Fair Trade Certified™ and organic coffees under the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters® and Newman's Own® Organics brands. While the majority of the Company's revenue is derived from its wholesale, direct mail, and e-commerce operations (www.GreenMountainCoffee.com), it also owns Keurig, Incorporated, a pioneer and leading manufacturer of gourmet single-cup brewing systems. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has been ranked No. 1 on the list of "100 Best Corporate Citizens" for the past two years, and has been recognized repeatedly by Forbes, Fortune Small Business, and the Society of Human Resource Management as an innovative, high-growth, socially responsible company.
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