Ag Commissioner Adam Putnam Names Four Division Directors

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam announced the appointment of:

Michael MJ Johnston as chief information officer;

Susan Nardizzi as the director of the Division of Marketing and Development;

Dr. Tiffiani Onifade as the director of the Division of Food Safety;

Travis Tucker as the director of the Division of Fruit and Vegetables at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Johnston has 14 years of direct client consulting experience on issues ranging from national security policy and practice to information systems solutions implementation and integration. He previously managed a private IT consulting firm, led a project management office for an interactive marketing agency, directed the MyFloridaMarketPlace project and data warehouse for People First for the State of Florida, consulted the state of Colorado on an unemployment insurance application implementation and consulted the Department of Defense on counterproliferation and national security issues.

Over the past 18 years, Nardizzi held senior marking positions at Taco Bell Corp., Shoneys and LongHorn Steakhouse, where she led marketing, brand strategy, consumer research and insights, advertising,product development and merchandising. She has also worked at advertising agencies J. Walter Thompson, Ogilvy and Mather, and Foote, Cone and Belding for clients in the food service, packaged goods, tourism, hospitality and finance industries.

Onifade most recently served as the state coordinator for the Florida Department of Healths Food and Waterborne Disease Outbreak program. She brings experience in epidemiology, emergency preparedness and both public and animal health. Onifade received her doctorate from Michigan State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine in comparative medicine and integrative biology.

Tucker most recently served as an insurance agent for Stallings Crop Insurance Co. He has also worked as a teacher in the Polk County School District and as crop insurance adjuster for Firemans Fund Insurance.

Putnam also announced that Gloria Van Treese, who has served the past 14 years as the chief of the Bureau of Food Distribution, will assume the role of assistant director in the Division of Marketing and Development. Lee Cornman, former acting director in the Division of Food Safety, will serve as assistant director in the division. Charles Beasley is the assistant director of the Division of Fruit and Vegetables, having previously served as the chief of the Bureau of Inspection for the division.