SIKESTON, MO – Southeast Missouri Food Bank is pleased to announce the appointment of Kailen Trowbridge of Procter & Gamble and Jim Gadberry of Nationwide Insurance to its Board of Directors.
Kailen Trowbridge
Jim Gadberry
“We are excited to welcome Kailen and Jim to our Board of Directors,” said Joey Keys, President and CEO of Southeast Missouri Food Bank.
“Kailen’s dedication to community service and Jim’s extensive leadership and governance experience will be tremendous assets to our organization. Both understand the importance of strong community partnerships, and we look forward to their contributions as we continue working to ensure neighbors across Southeast Missouri have access to the food they need.”
Trowbridge serves as Site IRA Leader/Technician for Procter & Gamble in Cape Girardeau, where she oversees inventory and product reconciliation for donated, damaged, or off-quality products and materials.
Through her volunteer service with Food Bank partners Red Star Food Pantry and New Madrid Food Pantry, Trowbridge has seen firsthand how local organizations come together to support neighbors in need.
Additionally, Procter & Gamble is a longtime Southeast Missouri Food Bank partner that has provided donations of diapers and other essential household products to families across the region.
“I have always had a strong desire to serve my community in a meaningful way, and the collaboration of members who share that commitment is something I am eager to be a part of,” Trowbridge said.
Gadberry serves as Vice President of Personal Lines Auto Claims for Nationwide, where he oversees the company’s national field and centralized operations.
A native of Sikeston, Gadberry earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Southeast Missouri State University and an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University. He currently serves on the boards of the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the Certified Auto Parts Association and has previously served on the boards of the American Red Cross and the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational.
“Southeast Missouri Food Bank addresses a basic need that directly affects the health and stability of families in Southeast Missouri,” Gadberry said. “I was born and raised in Sikeston and returned approximately 35 years after leaving for college and my career. I have a deep affection for Southeast Missouri and feel as if I am in a position to give back in a way that I have never been able to before.”
Keys said both new board members bring valuable experience and a shared commitment to serving Southeast Missouri communities.
Other members of the SEMO Food Bank board of directors are chair Danielle Poyner, vice-chair Buddy Barger, secretary/treasurer Laura Coalter Parker, Kristen Daniel, Clay Driskill, Liz Glastetter, Roger Guilliams, John Leibel, Marty Platz, Kathy Swan, and Keys.
SEMO Food Bank serves families, children, veterans and seniors through a network of 140 partner agencies and direct-service programs across a 16-county service area. Southeast Missouri has some of the highest rates of hunger in Missouri, with 1 in 6 individuals, 1 in 4 children and 1 in 8 seniors living in homes that are food insecure. The five most food-insecure counties in the state are in Southeast Missouri.
About Southeast Missouri Food Bank
The mission of Southeast Missouri Food Bank is to end hunger and leverage the power of food to build healthy communities. The food bank provides food to 140 charitable and disaster relief programs in Southeast Missouri. These member agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, domestic violence and homeless shelters. Southeast Missouri Food Bank also holds regular mobile food distributions and provides monthly boxes of food to 5,600 senior citizens and weekend backpacks of food during the school year to 1,100 students in area school districts. The food bank’s 16-county coverage area includes Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne counties. Those interested in helping can do so by making a tax-deductible contribution, donating food, or scheduling a time to volunteer. Visit semofoodbank.org for more information.