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Meet Stanley Suttenberg

June 21, 2022

Memorial Scholarship Fund

2004

Rich Catanzaro passed away in 2004 at the age of 49.  Born in New Jersey, Rich moved to San Antonio,  Texas when he became Director of Seafood Procurement and Merchandising at H.E. Butt Grocery Company. Rich led the H-E-B Seafood department for nine years in which time he tripled sales.  He was an innovator in marketing seafood within grocery stores.

Rich was a leader on the National Fisheries Institute Executive Committee and active in the Special Olympics, National Shrimp Processors, International Shrimp Processors, Gladys Porter Zoo, and the Blessing of the Fleet.  He contributed to “Seafood for Dummies” and “H-E-B’s The Cooking Connection’s Seafood Recipe Collection”.  He also helped rebuild the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles in the Gulf Coast.

The scholarships associated with the Rich Catanzaro Memorial Scholarship Fund are used to better understand the market dynamics of selling fish and seafood – an area in which Rich was an innovative leader.

Seafood Industry Research Fund Announces New Board Member

April 11, 2022

Seafood Finance Veteran Larsen Mettler Brings Fiscal Focus to SIRF

March 31, 2022 — Washington, DC — The Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF) welcomes Larsen Mettler to its Board of Directors. Mettler is a Managing Director at S2G Ventures Oceans and Seafood Fund. His leadership in the seafood and finance sector also includes time as an owner and CFO of Silver Bay Seafoods and the Director of KeyBanc Capital Markets Seafood Investment Banking and Corporate Lending practice.

“SIRF is one of the best examples I can think of where committed members of the seafood community truly put their money where their mouth is,” said Mettler. “By catalyzing capital and industry commitment to fund important scientific research we can greatly improve the sustainability and resilience of the sector to benefit human, animal and climate health. SIRF has been pulling those oars for decades now and I’m thrilled to become involved at a time we believe to be a tipping point in industry technology and innovation.”

SIRF began as the Lewis Goldstein Memorial Fund in 1964 and nearly 60 years later stands as the premier body funding scientific research directly linked to industry improvements within the relevant fields of aquaculture, food safety and seafood nutrition, to name a few.

Corporate and individual donations make up memorial, living tribute, and perpetual funds.

“The SIRF Board works collaboratively across pre-competitive industry priorities to maintain its mission of advancing seafood innovation, and it’s guided by passionate seafood industry leaders,” said Sean O’Scannlain, President and CEO of Fortune International and Chair of the SIRF Board. “We look forward to having Larsen’s combined expertise in seafood and finance at the table.”

SIRF’s board of directors is made up of 13 members who serve for 3-year terms.

The Seafood Industry Research Fund is a philanthropic research organization dedicated to supporting scientific, market, and economic research that benefits the seafood community. It works in conjunction with the National Fisheries Institute, the leading trade association for the fish and seafood community. For more information on SIRF, visit www.sirfonline.org.

Pacific Seafood Group

May 16, 2019

From our humble beginnings in 1941, Pacific Seafood has grown to employ more than 3,000 team members across 41 facilities in 11 states. Still family owned, Pacific Seafood manages all parts of the supply chain from harvesting/fishing to processing, and distribution in order to provide customers with fresh, sustainable, high-quality products.

Website: https://www.pacificseafood.com/

Fortune Imports

May 16, 2019

Fortune Imports is a global procurement subsidiary of Fortune International, LLC, focused on importing products based on the key principals of ethical, sustainable and superior quality. Fortune Imports products are hand-selected from the finest fisheries and farms in the world. They are produced under our strict quality specifications insuring the highest standards of food safety, taste and texture. All of our products have complete traceability from the farm or fishery to our customers. Sustainability and social responsibility are core-values of our company and influences every decision we make.

Website: http://www.fortuneimports.net/

SIRF Soirée a Success in Miami

January 24, 2018

January 24, 2018 -Miami, FL- Earlier this week, the Seafood Industry Research Fund hosted its annual benefit dinner, the SIRF Soirée. Occurring during the National Fisheries Institute’s Global Seafood Market Conference, the event took place at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami, FL. Seated beneath the museum’s overhead aquarium, over one-hundred industry professionals gathered for a seafood dinner to recognize SIRF’s work and fundraise for the newly established “Mike Gorton Living Tribute Fund.”

Chairman Russ Mentzer educated attendees on SIRF’s portfolio of scientific studies, detailing the business applications of on-going research in DNA species identification, decomposition testing, carbon-footprint analysis and nutrition.

“The seafood industry is a diverse marketplace,” said Mr. Mentzer. “SIRF’s variety of research is designed to keep pace with our business’ manifold issues. It takes a strong mixture of support to keep that mission moving forward.”

The evening’s keynote address profiled SIRF’s work to combat child labor and trafficking in Ghana. Delivered by SIRF-grantee Kristine Beran, a PhD Candidate and Research Associate at the University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, the address outlined SIRF-sponsored activities to combat labor-issues in Ghana’s pelagic fishery.

“Community involvement is essential to eliminating trafficking in fisheries,” Ms. Beran said. “The collective effort of friends and family members towards education and prevention makes this social science effort an ideal area of focus for the communally-oriented SIRF.”

 

SIRF Establishes Mike Gorton Living Tribute Fund

January 3, 2018

The Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF) has announced the opening of the Mike Gorton Living Tribute Fund. The fund honors the Slade Gorton executive’s legacy, commemorating a range of contributions to the research non-profit from board member to fundraising organizer.

“Mike Gorton is a SIRF institution,” said SIRF Chairman Russ Mentzer. “Throughout his career, Mike’s influence has touched on every aspect of SIRF’s history, leaving an indelible imprint of service and leadership.”

A longtime member of the SIRF board until 2015, Mr. Gorton spearheaded fundraising for the group, an effort culminating in the annual benefit hockey game between teams NFI and Seafax. First played in 1993, the event brings seafood professionals onto the ice for a friendly contest. Now bearing Mr. Gorton’s name as the Gorton Cup, the game has raised over $1 million for seafood science studies. 2018 will mark the 25th anniversary of the hockey fundraiser and founder Mike Gorton’s last game.

“SIRF fulfills a critical business and scientific function,” said Mike Gorton. “Advancing seafood through practical research, SIRF continues to rally the industry around a worthy, common cause, one that has brought me great satisfaction in furthering. I am grateful for the privilege of continuing to bolster SIRF with this newly dedicated fund.”

Contributions to the Mike Gorton Living Tribute Fund can be made through SIRF’s website. This year’s Gorton Cup will take place during the Seafood Expo North America on March 12th, 2018 @ 7:30 PM at Harvard University’s Bright-Landry Hockey Center. SIRF supporters are encouraged to come and cheer on Mike Gorton and their favorite players for teams NFI and Seafax.