2026 Women of Influence

Jennifer Frailey-Custer is a results-driven technology leader whose impact is felt across her organization and the retailers she supports. As the lead trainer in all aspects of POS technology and process, she plays a critical role in ensuring teams and customers fully understand and leverage their systems. She oversees all SMS Level 1 and Level 2 (v3 and v4) live trainings, guiding attendees through certification with clarity, structure and confidence.

Recognized as a subject matter expert in the LOC software POS application, Frailey-Custer possesses a deep understanding of the platform's complexity and functionality. What sets her apart is her ability to translate technical concepts into practical, easy-to-understand guidance for end users.

Through the development and delivery of monthly webinars, she educates a broad user base on key software features and best practices, empowering retailers to operate more efficiently and effectively.

Frailey-Custer's leadership extends beyond training. Her insight into customer needs contributes to successful solution implementations, helping retailers maximize performance and minimize operational disruption. She approaches every challenge with accountability, urgency and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed. Always willing to step in where needed, she exemplifies collaboration, expertise and dedication, making her a trusted resource, respected leader and powerful advocate for tech-driven growth in the food industry.

Jennifer Lambert is focused on building connections with customers through simple, intuitive and personalized digital experiences. In her current role, Lambert oversees all of Hy-Vee's digital properties and leads the retailer's digital-first strategy, which centers around data, personalization and artificial intelligence. Starting her career as a software engineer, Lambert brings a high level of technical expertise to her role, serving as a liaison between Hy-Vee's digital, operations and marketing teams. To drive e-commerce sales, Lambert and her team have been focused on advancing the web and mobile shopping experience to make online shopping easier for customers. In 2025, the team developed a new unified basket experience that's designed to simplify online ordering by allowing customers to order groceries along with custom-made items -- including cakes, floral arrangements and party trays -- in one transaction for pickup or delivery. To support Hy-Vee's continued focus on making lives healthier, Lambert's team also worked with the FoodHealth Company to launch FoodHealth Scores within the grocer's mobile app. This feature allows customers to quickly compare the nutritional value of products across the store, as well as identify better-for-you alternatives. Both advancements have seen rapid adoption across Hy-Vee's customer base and stand out as key differentiators in the industry.

Jennifer O'Malley joined St Pierre in 2023 with more than a decade of CPG experience across leading brands such as Pirate's Booty, Green Giant, Snapple and Kettle Chips. In March, she was promoted to her current role in recognition of her strong commercial impact within the U.S. business.

O'Malley manages the brand's East Coast territory from Maine to Florida, driving distribution growth and strategic partnerships with major distributors including Bozzuto's, C&S, UNFI and KeHE, alongside regional retailers such as Wakefern, Food City, Big Y and Ingles.

In the last 12 months, O'Malley has delivered exceptional results by expanding white space opportunities and accelerating growth within existing accounts. Through strategic planning and strong partner relationships, she achieved double-digit growth across nearly every account in her territory while positioning the region for continued expansion.

O'Malley also demonstrates strong commitment to community impact. In 2025, she completed a triathlon in Portland, Maine, to raise funds for the Maine Cancer Foundation through the Tri for a Cure initiative.

Through commercial expertise, resilience and purpose-led leadership, O'Malley continues to deliver meaningful growth and lasting impact.

Jennifer Petersen exemplifies the leadership, discipline and forward-thinking required to move the food industry forward. She leads Sun World's global research and breeding programs, ensuring scientific innovation translates into commercial outcomes.

Over her four-and-a-half years with the company, Petersen has played a critical role in aligning breeding, licensing and commercialization into a unified model designed to deliver consistent quality, scalability and long-term value across the supply chain.

Her impact is clear, she:

- Built a global innovation pipeline, overseeing the development of 56 advanced selections and commercial varieties across grapes, stone fruit and mango.

- Leads a team of 40 scientists and professionals, including a largely women-led group at Sun World's research headquarters.

- Drove commercial success at scale, helping develop Autumncrisp grapes to surpass $1 billion in global retail sales, demonstrating her ability to translate science into sustained consumer demand.

Petersen's impact also is reflected in how she leads. She has built a culture grounded in curiosity, accountability and shared ambition, where teams come together to push boundaries and deliver results. It is the kind of leadership that can be seen in action -- new varieties on the table, quickly picked over and the best ones gone first.

Jeri Elsasser plays a key role at Trinity Fruit Company, working alongside the VP of marketing and the business' efforts to grow consumption at a consumer level and elevate marketing efforts across all commodities. She is a rock star.

Jessica Brown's promotion to her current role this year marked an historic milestone as the first female executive officer in the organization's history. She previously served as VP of accounting and treasury for 15 years.

Brown's journey within the company reflects both dedication and distinction, having advanced through a series of increasingly impactful leadership roles, including staff accountant, financial analyst, general ledger manager, assistant controller and controller.

With a depth of experience spanning the full spectrum of finance and accounting, Brown has cultivated a strong and steady foundation in financial leadership. Her expertise includes strategic planning, acquisitions, corporate refinancing and operational oversight, all guided by both her academic training and years of hands-on experience. Known for her thoughtful, measured leadership style and unwavering commitment to excellence, Brown brings a practical yet forward-thinking approach to financial management -- qualities that position her well in her new role as CFO.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Brown is a wife and mother of three. She treasures time spent with her family and remains connected to her community, embodying the same care and commitment in her personal life that she brings to her work.

Mosner Family Brands is a third-generation, family-owned protein manufacturer headquartered in the Bronx, New York. In her leadership role, Jessica Mosner has been instrumental in transforming the company from a regional specialty meat processor into a modern, multi-protein manufacturing platform serving retail, foodservice and institutional customers across the United States.

Working alongside her siblings in the company's third generation of leadership, Mosner helped guide a pivotal expansion that included the acquisition of Great American Foods and the development of new value-added protein capabilities, enabling Mosner Family Brands to scale nationally and meet the evolving needs of the food industry.

Mosner is respected for her strategic insight, collaborative leadership style and deep understanding of customer needs. Her approach focuses on listening to partners and identifying underserved opportunities in the market, allowing the company to incubate innovative product programs and bring them to scale through its growing manufacturing capabilities.

Beyond business growth, Mosner is committed to preserving the craftsmanship and integrity of the protein industry while modernizing operations for the future. Through her leadership, Mosner Family Brands continues a legacy that began in 1957 while positioning itself for long-term innovation, sustainability and customer partnerships.

Jessica Ringena is using her unique skills to bridge the gap between finance and marketing -- two fields that traditionally have operated in parallel worlds. In her current role, Ringena leads Hy-Vee's finance, marketing and retail media teams. While her oversight is sizeable, her goal is to build synergies between these areas to drive more revenue, growth and efficiencies at Hy-Vee by blending creative direction with data-driven strategies. As a marketer, Ringena and her team are focused on optimizing the customer journey through personalized and relevant omnichannel experiences. Blending Hy-Vee's rich service model with data and targeted messaging, she aims to increase engagement and strengthen brand loyalty among customers across every touchpoint, both in-store and online. Ringena's goal is to not only solve problems for Hy-Vee's busy consumers but also for the retailer's store-level leaders. That's why her team has spent the past year streamlining internal tools to make everyday tasks easier and more efficient at retail. Under her leadership, Hy-Vee's finance team introduced advanced budgeting and forecasting reports to help store directors make faster and more informed decisions around their operations. In addition, the marketing team created a hub that allows store employees to crowdsource marketing assets in real time.

Jody Rudh is a tremendous leader in the Twin Cities and within JOH's North Central region, where she plays a key role in the continued success of the region. Her leadership not only strengthens JOH but also supports the clients who have entrusted the company with their business and the retailers who rely on the partnership to meet the evolving needs of today's consumers. Rudh brings a relentless drive to everything she does and raises the bar beyond what others believe is possible. She approaches her work with a selfless mindset, always putting the success and well-being of clients, customers, consumers and fellow JOH associates first. Her relationships with customers and clients are second to none. She is trusted for her insights, creativity and ability to bring forward new ideas that drive meaningful results. Throughout her career, Rudh has demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence while also bringing energy, positivity and joy to those around her. We are grateful for the leadership, dedication and spirit she brings to our team every day. Rudh lives in the eastern suburbs of the Twin Cities with her husband, Tim. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with friends and traveling.

Joelle Smith is a hands‑on leader who builds results through relationships, clear expectations and accountability. She believes leadership is earned through trust and integrity. Her approach delivered measurable impact, including a 23 percent reduction in warehouse shrink through defined expectations, targeted training and stronger operational visibility.

By reinforcing these standards and coaching, Smith created a culture where accountability was understood and embraced. These efforts also contributed to a 10 percent reduction in operating costs, underscoring her belief that engaged, supported teams drive performance.

Smith tackles challenges with a solution‑focused mindset and values open and honest communication. She encourages collaboration and feedback, recognizing that those closest to the work offer the most practical improvements.

During a major system outage, Smith stayed calm, listened to her team and guided them through the disruption, turning a difficult moment into an example of resilience and shared problem‑solving.

Developing others is Smith's greatest passion. She mentors intentionally, ensuring her team has clarity, support and room to grow. In 2025, 10 associates earned promotions, reflecting her commitment to developing leaders and building a high‑performing, supportive culture.

Smith volunteers monthly with Plymouth Helping Hands for Animals, supports the Freetown Food Bank and serves on the board of directors for Carver Youth Baseball.