Two past presidents of SCAA appointed to board of Coffee Kids

Tim O’Connor, founder of Pacific Espresso and Mike Ebert, Alterra Coffee sales representative and past member of both the Roasters Guild and the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), have been nominated to the Coffee Kids Board of Directors. Ebert is now Board President and O’Connor is the new Vice President. Ebert has a wide range of specialty coffee experience, including purchasing, sourcing green coffee, product development, marketing, upper management and strategic planning. He also helped in the formation of the Roasters Guild, serving as their first chair of the Executive Council for two years. From there he served eight years for SCAA on the Board of Directors, finishing as the President in 2010. “Mike was the one who turned the idea of a thing called the Roasters Guild into reality, and Mike was president of the Specialty Coffee Association of America Board during a very challenging time. Mike is not only a talented leader, he gets things done,” said outgoing Board President, Mike Ferguson, in a statement. O’Connor has been a part of the specialty coffee industry since 1980 and has, in the past three decades, developed several brands into industry leaders. Brands such as Illycaffe, La Marzocco, Puro Caff, and Pacific Espresso have benefited from his expertise. He served as SCAA Board president from 2011 – 2012. He now brings his market knowledge and vast experience to Coffee Kids. “I am honored to serve on the Coffee Kids Board of Directors,” said O’Connor. “I see a well-managed organization with a lot of unrealized potential. The timing is right for it to grow and make a greater impact in the communities that the coffee industry and its consumers rely on.”