About CQI

Craig Holt, Chairperson, Board of Trustees

Craig is a native of the Pacific Northwest who graduated from the University of Washington after four caffeine-fueled years. Following college he worked as an Expedition Leader, guiding educational adventure trips to more than seventy countries and five continents. During his travels, Craig found himself in many of the world's coffee growing regions, learning about how his favorite agricultural product was produced, and how it made its way to the cup.

Inspired by this new knowledge, Craig left the travel business and began working with Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters in Olympia, Washington. At Batdorf, he did everything from bagging beans and pulling shots, to learning about the art of roasting. Eventually Craig was put in charge of opening and managing Batdorf and Bronson's Atlanta, Georgia roastery. After leaving Batdorf and Bronson, he became a green coffee broker for Cristobal Coffee Importers in Seattle, Washington, where he honed his knowledge of coffee sources and trading.

Craig is a certified Q Grader and a Q Trainer, as well as a cupping judge for international auctions and competitions. He is also an active volunteer for the Coffee Corps.

At Atlas Coffee Importers, LLC, Craig is primarily responsible for coffee research and selection, marketing and sales.

Ellen Jordan Reidy, Immediate Past Chairperson, Board of Trustees

Ellen Jordan Reidy is President and Founder of America's Food Technologies, Inc. (AMFOTEK) a privately held blending and packaging operation specializing in product development and manufacturing of custom and private label beverages for the foodservice and specialty coffee arenas. Ms. Reidy began her career with Wechsler Coffee Corporation holding numerous positions including President of the firm's specialty coffee division, and later as Vice President of Operations overseeing the firm's three roasting plants/quality assurance initiatives.

During her 28 year coffee career, Ms. Reidy has served on numerous coffee industry boards and committees. She is Chairperson of the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to improving the quality of coffee and the lives of the people who produce it. Ms. Reidy is a past-director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and past-chair the association's Training Committee. Ms. Reidy is a recipient of the SCAA's Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award (2000) for her work on the critical role of sensory evaluation in coffee's quality assessment. She further serves the industry on the National Coffee Association's Scientific Advisory Group.

In the field of education, she is a member of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the Illinois Institute of Technology and is a member of the Board of IIT's Stuart School of Business. She is also chairperson of Queen of Peace High School's board of directors.

Ms. Reidy is a member of the Advisory Board of the Illinois Center for Food Safety and Technology, and is an officer of the Windy City Chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization. Ms. Reidy is also a member of The Economic Club of Chicago, The Executives' Club of Chicago and The Chicago Network.

Ms. Reidy holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

David Boyd, Secretary, Board of Trustees

David Boyd is the co-CEO and president of Boyd Coffee Company, a leading provider of specialty coffees, espresso, rare estate coffees, teas, and related equipment for restaurants and other foodservice operations nationwide and abroad.

Mr. Boyd joined his grandfather's coffee business at the age of 16, during breaks from school, when one of his first jobs was grinding cocoa powder. He has been instrumental in the formation of a committed partnership between Boyd Coffee Company and the Rainforest Alliance. This partnership has enabled Boyd Coffee Company to secure and sell fairly traded, environmentally responsible coffees throughout the company's extensive national network of customers.

Carlos Brando, Member, Board of Trustees

Coming soon.

Ian Breminer, Member, Board of Trustees

Ian Breminer, Managing Director of Complete Coffee Ltd. based in London, U.K. joined the family business (Est.1929) in 1972 as office junior, learning all aspects of the coffee trade from roasting and cupping to documents and trading. Today, the Company trades Green and Soluble Coffees around the World and works to promote Sustainable and Certified coffees whenever possible. Ian has also played a prominent role in National and International Coffee Associations and is a past Chairman of the UK Coffee Trade Federation (CTF), Committee of European Coffee Associations (CECA) and was acting President of the European Coffee Federation (ECF).

In 1999 he was awarded the Medalla de Merito Cafetero 'Manuel Mejia' for services to the Colombian Coffee Industry and is currently Vice Chairman of the British & Colombian Chamber of Commerce having been Chairman for two terms. He has been a long time supporter of efforts to improve the structural defects of the International Coffee Market so as to ensure that coffee farmers are rewarded properly for producing the excellent quality coffees required by the Market.

Ian is currently living vicariously through his daughter, Kristine, who also works in the Company and has just been certified as a Licensed Q Grader !

Bridget Carrington, Member, Board of Trustees

Coming soon.

Eduardo Esteve, Member, Board of Trustees

Eduardo Esteve is a member of the board of managing directors of Ecom Agroindustrial Corp. Ltd, as well as president of the company's Mexican operation, Agroindustrias Unidas de Mexico S.A. de C.V. He is also head of Ecom's coffee division, which has a presence in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Mr. Esteve joined the company in 1982. He has more than 20 years of experience in agroindustrial processing, commodity financing and trading. He holds a degree in economics from the Hautes Etudes Commerciales in Lausanne.

Felipe Isaza, Member, Board of Trustees

Felipe Isaza has been involved with coffee since his childhood in his native country of Colombia.

After graduating from University of Texas, with degrees in International Business and Finance, he returned to Colombia to work with a large Japanese trading house where he was responsible for buying green coffee for roasters in Japan. In 1988 he joined Exportadora de Cafe Condor, a recently established specialty coffee exporter of Colombian coffee, where he worked as General Manager until 1995, and is now a partner and director.

Today he owns Coffee Resources Inc., a 12 year old, U.S. based company fully dedicated to importing and exporting top quality coffees from diverse origins. With over 25 years of coffee experience, Felipe fully understands the quality requirements demanded by specialty coffee roasters and has traveled extensively in producing countries sourcing top quality coffee for his customers.

Felipe is an active member of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Coast Coffee Association.

Felipe has participated as International Juror in cupping competitions in Colombia and Dominican Republic, and has been recently certified as a Licensed Q Grader.

Arnoldo Leiva, Member, Board of Trustees

Arnoldo Leiva is the General Manager of The Coffee Source, Inc. in San José, Costa Rica. In this role, he is responsible for the all aspects sourcing green coffees from countries in Latin-America and exporting them to Europe the United States and Asia, he also manages the import and sales division for the US market.

Mr. Leiva is involved with several coffee associations both in Costa Rica and in the United States. He is the past President of the Specialty Coffee Association of Costa Rica. He also represented Costa Rica at the SCAA International Relations Council and Advisory Member of CQI Coffee Corps. He is currently a Trustee at the board of CQI (Coffee Quality Institute).

Mr. Leiva received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the Universidad Autónoma de C.A. in San José and an MBA from the National University of San Diego.

Bruce Mullins, Member, Board of Trustees

Bruce Mullins has been passionate about specialty coffee since the late 70's, after his prestigious first job after private college of unloading sacks of coffee from trucks. Bruce joined Coffee Bean International, Inc. (CBI) of Portland, Oregon - one of America's largest and most respected wholesale specialty coffee roasters - in 1982, learning roasting, cupping, and all aspects of developing a successful specialty coffee business along the way.

Currently Vice President of Coffee Culture, Mullins has been with the company through its transformation from a small Northwest roaster into a major national supplier of hand-crafted artisan-roast coffees beans. Mullins is responsible for enhancing the development of successful and profitable coffee programs for CBI's regional and national customers. Additionally, he is responsible for developing training programs and materials to help ensure the ongoing success of CBI's staff and customers. He is trained as a specialty coffee roaster and tea blender.

Bruce has worked extensively with the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), served on the board of directors of the Specialty Tea Institute (STI), served as a Coffee Corps volunteer in Africa and South America, and has served as an international cupping judge for Cup of Excellence competitions in Central America, South America, and Africa.

Juan Esteban Orduz, Member, Board of Trustees

Juan Esteban Orduz was appointed president of the Colombian Coffee Federation in New York in 2003 after ending a year as fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University.

Prior to that, he served as minister, deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of Colombia to the United States in Washington, D.C. for four years. An attorney and specialist in finance, he has been legal vice president of Cemex S.A. in Colombia, an associate attorney at Consultores Juridicos y Economicos working on international trade and investment issues in Colombia, and an advisor to the minister of economic development.

Mr. Orduz holds a law degree from El Rosario University and a post-graduate degree in finance at Los Andes University in Bogota.

Christian Rasch, Member, Board of Trustees

Coming soon.

Ric Rhinehart, Member, Board of Trustees

Coming soon.

Ellen Rogers, Member, Board of Trustees

Ellen Rogers has nearly 20 years of experience in product development and brand management in the coffee industry.

Ms. Rogers currently serves as Research & Development Coffee Excellence Manager for Dunkin' Brands. She is considered a foremost expert on coffee and serves as Dunkin' Brands' 'Chief Executive of Coffee Creations'. As a certified International Coffee Expert in coffee tasting and analysis, and a member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, she is personally responsible for tasting and selecting the beans that go into the more than 2.8 billion cups of coffee served by Dunkin' Donuts each year.

Since 1994, she has been a member of the Specialty Coffee of America (SCAA) and currently serves on the Roaster Retailer committee. She is also member of the National Coffee Association and Green Coffee Association. She holds a B.S. in Business Management from Bridgewater State College and an Executive M.B.A. from Anna Maria College.

Philip Schluter, Member, Board of Trustees

Born in the US in 1973, Philip Schluter spent his childhood in Nairobi, Kenya where his father worked as an agronomist. Having moved to the UK in 1982 with his family, he completed his education in the UK, graduating from Oxford University in 1995. He then joined his uncle, John Schluter, in the family coffee business, and has never looked back. He is now the Managing Director of Schluter SA in Nyon, near Geneva in Switzerland, and enjoys the chance to indulge two of the great passions in his life - Africa and Coffee. Schluter SA is specialized in Gourmet African Coffees, and has just celebrated its 150th anniversary.