John H. Downs Jr. succeeds Lawrence T. Graham as NCA president

The Board of Trustees of the National Confectioners Association announced the appointment of John H. Downs, Jr., to president of the trade association, according to Robert Simpson, NCA Board chairman and COO of Jelly Belly Candy Company. Downs, a senior advisor to the president of Coca-Cola Americas for The Coca-Cola Company, will succeed Lawrence T. Graham, who will have served the Association for 22 years when he retires later this month.

“We are pleased to welcome John to the Association,” Simpson said. “John’s strong leadership and record of accomplishments will serve our membership well. His public affairs background in the consumer product goods arena, coupled with his business acumen and experience with member-driven trade associations, provide him with a solid foundation for understanding the needs and capably serving the small, medium and large companies the NCA represents.”

In his most recent position at The Coca-Cola Company, Downs has focused on strategic stakeholder engagement, government relations and public affairs in North America and Latin America. Prior to this role he was vice president of global government, diplomatic, and stakeholder relations for The Coca-Cola Company.

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