Ted Lingle, Executive Director

Joined CQI (as Executive Director): August 2006
Number of Years in Industry: More than 25
Previous Position: Executive Director, Specialty Coffee Association of America

Ted Lingle co-founded CQI in 1996 with a vision for creating a sustainable supply of quality coffee for the industry. Having served on its board of directors since its inception, Ted brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and vision to continue to move the organization forward towards its mission of improving the quality of coffee and the lives of the people who produced it.

Ted Lingle served the executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) for 15 years and is author of The Coffee Cupper's Handbook and The Coffee Brewing Handbook. He has served as an expert witness/consultant in hot beverage injury cases on the subjects of proper brewing, holding and serving temperatures.

Mr. Lingle was a founding co-chairman of the SCAA and has also served on committees of the National Coffee Association and National Coffee Service Association. He was chairman and a member of the board of directors of the Coffee Development Group/Promotion Fund of the International Coffee Organization.

In addition, Mr. Lingle served as vice president of marketing for Lingle Bros. Coffee, Inc. for 20 years. In 1998, he was awarded the National Medal of Merit by the Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia. In 2004, he was awarded the Order Flor de Café Medal of Merit by the Guatemalan National Coffee Association.

And in February of 2007, he was awarded the Bwana Kahawa Lifetime Achievement Award by the Eastern African Fine Coffees Association (EAFCA).

Ted Lingle Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award at EAFCA