LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Jan. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- International
development organization, Heifer International, today announced a
leadership transition that will see President and CEO Pierre Ferrari leave the organization in
September 2022. Ferrari, a business
innovator, investor and entrepreneur, will retire at the end of
September, with recruitment of a new leader underway.
"Over the last 12 years, Pierre and the team have transformed
Heifer into a leading international development organization,
partnering with communities around the world to end hunger and
poverty in a sustainable way", said Randi Hedin, Chair of
Heifer International's Board of Directors.
Hedin added: "Through high quality programs focused on
innovation and entrepreneurship, millions of people around the
world are building food and farming businesses and reaching a
living income. They are investing with Heifer in infrastructure
that enables farmers to get their products to market, generating
income and jobs for the long-term. We are grateful for Pierre's
leadership and are working closely with him and the team as he
passes on the baton."
Heifer's programs focus on supporting farmers and local food
producers to strengthen local economies and build secure
livelihoods that provide Sustainable Living Income, holding true to
the organization's core approach of local solutions to local
problems.
Under Ferrari's leadership, Heifer has expanded its animal
gifting model to focus on community transformation through scale,
permanence of impact and partnerships. The organization works with
more than one million families every year, with many more
benefiting from livestock, services and expertise passed on by
program participants.
In addition to its work with farmers and cooperatives, Heifer
International continues to invest in farmer-focused infrastructure,
enabling farmers to capture more of the value in production
processes, access new markets and increase their incomes. Under
Ferrari's leadership, the organization set up an impact investing
division to increase access to affordable financing for farmers and
invest in farmer-focused infrastructure. Investments include
solar-powered milk cooling systems in Africa that reduce fuel costs and carbon
emissions, refrigerated transportation in Asia that enables farmers to deliver safe,
healthy products to markets, and fuel-efficient dryers that help
farmers in the Americas produce spices for export markets, while
protecting indigenous forests.
"Leading Heifer International is truly an honor," said
Pierre Ferrari. "I am inspired by
the millions of people we work with and our incredible staff around
the world, who are committed to sustainable solutions to hunger and
poverty. Today, with global hunger and poverty on the rise, the
organization's life-changing work is needed now, more than ever,
and I look forward to the growth and innovation new leadership will
bring."
Ferrari and Hedin said they are making the announcement today to
ensure a smooth leadership transition. A global search for a new
CEO will begin shortly, with the new leader driving a strategy that
will see an additional 10 million people reach Sustainable Living
Income by 2030.
ABOUT HEIFER INTERNATIONAL
Since 1944, Heifer International has worked with more than 39
million families around the world to end hunger and poverty in a
sustainable way. Working with rural communities in 20 countries in
Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including the United States, Heifer International
supports farmers and local food producers to strengthen local
economies and build secure livelihoods that provide a living
income. For information, visit https://www.heifer.org
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SOURCE Heifer International