Mushroom Council appoints Amy Wood as new President

USA – The Mushroom Council has appointed Amy Wood as its new President and CEO, marking a significant transition for the organization.

Wood takes on this role after an extensive national search, succeeding Bart Minor, who led the Council for 26 years.

Wood will spearhead efforts to enhance strategic marketing, communication, research, and promotional programs aimed at boosting the profitability of U.S. mushroom farms and importers.

Her primary focus will be to increase the awareness and consumption of fresh mushrooms across the country.

With over twenty years of experience in food marketing and communications, Wood brings a wealth of expertise to the Mushroom Council.

She previously served as Senior Vice President of Food Strategy at Curious Plot, an integrated food and agriculture marketing communications agency.

At Curious Plot, Wood played a pivotal role in major initiatives such as the Blended Burger Project, Feed Your Immune System, and Mushroom Monday.

Her experience extends beyond mushrooms, having worked with organizations like the California Avocado Commission and the National Watermelon Promotion Board.

Michael Stephan, Chairman of the Mushroom Council, praised Wood’s appointment: “Amy is a true food marketing strategist and leader who not only is ready to go on day one because of her near decade of immersion in the mushroom industry, but also because of her vast background leading and counseling marketing teams for dozens of commodity boards and organizations.”

In her new role, Wood will face the dual challenge of maintaining the loyalty of current mushroom consumers while attracting new ones.

“Like so many other commodity boards and associations, the mushroom industry finds itself at the critical intersection of maintaining its loyal customer base while expanding and attracting new shoppers,” Wood stated. “I look forward to the challenge ahead.”

The Mushroom Council, established under the Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990, represents fresh market producers and importers who each average over 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually.

The Council’s programs, funded by industry groups, are designed to expand and sustain markets for mushrooms in the U.S. and beyond.