STAMFORD, CONN. — The American Pet Products Association (APPA) announced several new board members for this year.

Terry Anderton, founder and chief executive officer of Wagz® Inc., and Steve Clark, chief revenue officer at Petmate, have joined APPA’s board of directors. Tommy Baroody, vice president of sales at Nestlé Purina PetCare North America, has been appointed to chair, and Jeremy Baker, senior vice president of business development and e-commerce at Compana Pet Brands, has joined as secretary/treasurer.

Chuck Latham, past chair and founder of H&C Animal Health, will remain on APPA’s board as director.

Anderton was inspired to establish Wagz after his puppy ran away from being frightened by fireworks. Wagz is a “connected” pet technology company that seeks to help pet parents keep their companions safe. Anderton has four patents and serves on the New Hampshire Innovative Research Council’s board.

“I am honored to join APPA and work alongside such a talented group of experts during this transformational period in the pet products industry,” Anderton said. “As innovations in connected technology continue to transform our homes and lifestyles, I look forward to helping the organization, its members and other stakeholders expand the possibilities for how people can better protect and care for their beloved pets.”

Clark has more than 11 years of experience within the pet supplies segment. He has expertise in consumer branded products, as well as sales, marketing and e-commerce strategy. Prior to his position at Petmate, Clark held various leadership positions at Crayola and Bell Sports.

“As a longtime member of the pet industry, I am looking forward to bringing my years of experience to the APPA board,” Clark said. “It is both an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to serve alongside some of the greatest minds in the pet care community, while also delivering the services and offerings that help APPA’s members grow for years to come.”

Baroody has more than 25 years of experience working at Purina Petcare, Ralston Purina and RJR Nabisco. He has held several roles, leading consumer good teams in category management, customer development and brand portfolio management within pet specialty, grocery and mass market channels. Baroody has served on APPA’s board for five years and has also served on boards for the University of Arizona Center for Retailing and the Pet Care Trust.

“The entire board would like to extend a warm welcome and congratulations to Terry and Steve,” Baroody said. “I look forward to working with them and the rest of the board to deliver on our shared commitment to strength the global pet care community and promote responsible pet ownership. I would also like to thank Chuck for his contributions during his time as chair. APPA continues to be a leading voice for the global pet care community, and that is certainly in part thanks to strong board leadership.”

Baker will leverage his more than 20 years of CPG leadership experience to support APPA’s board. He originally joined the board in 2019. During his career, Baker has helped expand Oxbow Animal Health by establishing the company into a global leader in the pet specialty space and aiding in its sale to Compana Pet Brands, previously known as Manna Pro.

“There has never been a more exciting time to be part of the pet care community,” Baker said. “I am energized to serve an industry-leading organization like APPA and inspired to continue helping drive success for the association’s members.”

Anderton, Clark, Baroody and Baker join APPA’s existing board members, which include directors Brett Johnson of Radio Systems, Chanda Leary-Coutu of Wellness Pet Company, Todd Regan of Central Garden & Pet, and Savina Singh of JoJo Modern Pets.