US: Black Gold Farms names sales director

North Dakota potato grower-shipper Black Gold Farms has a new fresh sales and marketing director. Don Ladhoff will work with Grand Forks, N.D.-based Black Gold on a contract basis, according to a news release. Ladhoff, president of FreshSmartSolutions Inc., a retail marketing consultancy, has worked since 2010 on contract for the Denver-based U.S. Potato Board as manager of its retail programs. Ladhoff’s contract with the board ended June 30. “Don will immediately help us dig deeper and bring our sales and marketing efforts to a new level, and is further evidence of our commitment to become the premier red potato grower-shipper in the United States,” Eric Halverson, Black Gold’s CEO, said in the release. “Nobody else in the potato industry has the knowledge that Don has gained from working with all of the country’s largest retailers on their fresh potato categories.” (Source: Black Gold Farms)