Meet Our Team
President
David Shogren
St. Louis, Missouri
Dave has over 25 years of experience in the food industry. He began his career at Beverage Concepts in 1987 as a financial analyst and rose to the position of Director of Finance and Administration. Then Dave joined Resource One in 1991 as its first employee. While at Resource One, Dave worked in marketing, sales, operations and finance and rose to the position of Chief Operating Officer. As C.O.O. Dave lead a new initiative to develop international business. As part of this initiative, Dave pioneered the China market for Resource One, cultivated several customers in Asia and built a platform for export. In September of 2014, Dave and Linda purchased the export business from Resource one and established US International Foods as a stand-alone company.
During Dave’s long tenure in the grocery industry, he has developed a strong base of contacts with U.S. grocery suppliers. Dave’s extensive financial, marketing and operational experience provides US International Foods with the ability to analyze and develop innovative sales and marketing programs from both a practical and economic perspective. Additionally, his background in private label manufacturing gives Dave a strong foundation and common ground with grocery suppliers and manufacturers.
Throughout his career, he has been active in professional organizations and his local community, serving on the boards of various not-for-profit organizations and academic institutions. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Ripon College and as an advisory board member of The Harris House Foundation. In January 2014 Dave was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve on District Export Council for Missouri. In 2013 Dave was named as “Global Pioneer of the Year” by the St. Louis Regional International Partnership. Dave and US International Foods were also named by the Missouri Department of Agriculture as the “Agricultural Exporter of the Year.”
Dave attended Ripon College, where he received his B.A. degree, with a major in English and a minor in Art, and the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, where he received an M.B.A. with emphases in both operations and marketing.
CFo
Linda Shogren
St. Louis, Missouri
Linda Shogren started her professional career as a public accountant and auditor with Price Waterhouse in their Boston office. For the past 25 years she has worked in the securities industry, accounting and human resources and most recently worked in the area of employee benefit plan consulting with JP Morgan and later with AON. Linda has an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelors degree from Wesleyan University in Connecticut.
China Representative
Ruth Gao
Shanghai, China
Ruth recently graduated with a Master’s Degree from Shanghai Maritime University, having a sound foundation in shipping and logistics. Ruth is increasing her knowledge and love of US food through trips to the States and trying a wide variety of new foods and tastes. Ruth calls on a variety of importers and retailers in China and maintains relationships with key customers. She does research in the market on our products and categories. Ruth also assists in translating documents and marketing materials into Mandarin.
Sales Rep for Africa
Segun Babalola
St. Louis, Missouri
Segun Babalola, MBA is an immigrant from West Africa with experience building business relationships between the United States and Africa. He co-founded the African Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis with the purpose of developing the entrepreneurial African immigrant population and fostering trade between St. Louis and the continent of Africa.
Segun received his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Southeast Missouri State University as well as a degree in International Studies from Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Rennes, France. He holds a Master in Business Administration from Webster University, St. Louis.
Latin America/Caribbean Representative
Alejandro Zavala
St. Louis, Missouri
As an accomplished Supply Chain and Logistics professional, Alejandro Zavala brings over 5 years of experience to the field. An immigrant from Ecuador, Alejandro has been making his mark in St. Louis for nearly a decade. He holds an MBA with a specialized emphasis in Supply Chain and Logistics from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO, underscoring his commitment to excellence in this dynamic industry.
His career encompasses extensive experience in distribution and warehousing, honed through his roles with several Fortune 500 companies. His expertise and innovative approach to logistics and supply chain management make him a valuable asset in driving operational efficiency and business growth.
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