SPECTRUM
ORGANIC PRODUCTS, INC.
[ ] Corporate*Sales & Marketing 707 778 8900 [ ] Administration*Operations
1304 South Point Blvd. #280 800 995 2705 133 Copeland Street
Petaluma, CA 94954 www.spectrumnaturals.com Petaluma, CA 94952
Fax: 707 765 8470 Fax: 707 765 1026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tori Janaya
Phone: 707-778-8900 ext. 3316
Fax: 707-765-8736
E-mail: torij@spectrumorganic.com
Spectrum Organic Products, Inc. Appoints New CEO
Petaluma, CA (August 29, 2002) -- Spectrum Organic Products, Inc. (SPOP--OTC
BB), one of the leading producers of organic and natural culinary and
nutraceutical oils, today announced that it is appointing Neil G. Blomquist as
its new President and Chief Executive Officer effective September 1. Mr.
Blomquist joined the Company, then Spectrum Naturals, in 1989 as its Director of
Sales and Marketing. During his five-year tenure in that position Spectrum
tripled in size. In 1994 he was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer.
Mr. Blomquist has been President of Spectrum's Branded Divisions since a 1999
four-way merger that created the current public entity, Spectrum Organic
Products, Inc.
"I'm looking forward to the opportunity that Spectrum has given me to become
even more involved in the day to day operations of the Company," said Mr.
Blomquist. "With the recent divestitures of its non-core lines of business,
Spectrum is now positioned to focus on its core competencies in healthy culinary
oils and essential fatty acid nutrition. I intend to lead that focus as we
deploy our people and working capital toward those priorities."
Mr. Blomquist was recently elected Vice President of the Board of Directors of
the California Olive Oil Council, which he has served on since 1996, and has
served on numerous Organic Trade Association committees to foster the
development and facilitation of organic standards. Prior to joining Spectrum,
Mr. Blomquist was a sales manager with Fairhill Foods, a natural products
distributor in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Blomquist has devoted his entire
career to the organic food industry beginning with his joint ownership of a
retail store in Montana from 1976 to 1985. He is a graduate of the University of
South Dakota, with a Bachelors degree in business management and economics.
Jethren Phillips, Spectrum's founder, current CEO and Chairman of the Board will
continue in his role as Chairman of the Board. He will focus on key strategic
issues affecting Spectrum's future and special projects that leverage his thirty
years as an ambassador for organic foods and the importance of good fats in a
healthy diet. "For well over a year now, the Board and I have been discussing
how to best maximize shareholder value and put Spectrum on track to take even
greater advantage of our leading position in organic oils, condiments and good
fats," said Mr. Phillips. "Neil is imminently qualified to lead Spectrum into
its next phase of growth. This is a very important move for the company, and we
are extremely pleased that Neil has chosen to accept this new role. Spectrum is
finally in a position of sufficient profitability and positive working capital
for me to really focus on the Company's larger vision."
Spectrum Organic Products, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and marketer of
natural and organic culinary oils, vinegars, condiments and healthy fat butter
substitutes under the Spectrum Naturals(R) brand and essential fatty acid
nutritional supplements under the Spectrum Essentials(R) brand. Under its
Spectrum Ingredients Division the Company also produces and sells a wide range
of industrial oils, vinegars and nutritional ingredients to other manufacturers.
For more information, go to http://www.spectrumorganic.com
Spectrum is a publicly traded corporation on the OTC Bulletin Board under SPOP.
"Safe Harbor" Statements under the Private Securities Act of 1995: The
statements contained in this release, which are not historical facts, are
forward-looking statements that are subject to risk and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth or implied by the
forward-looking statements. These risks are described in Spectrum Organic
Products, Inc. Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
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