WASHINGTON — Brian Folkerts has been named executive vice president of government affairs at the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA). Folkerts has more than 30 years of experience with consumer packaged goods companies, trade groups and government. He succeeds Denzel E. McGuire, who held the post since Jan. 5, 2015.

Most recently, Folkerts led the confirmation effort for US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, working with the US Senate and the White House. He was vice president of public and government affairs at Mondelez International from 2012-16. He also spent five years as vice president of US government affairs at Kraft Foods Inc. and six years as vice president and director of Altria Group/Philip Morris. Earlier in his career he worked at the National Food Processors Association from 1994-2001, serving as the association’s vice president of government affairs and managing its state and federal affairs program. The NFPA merged with the GMA in 2007.

Before entering the food industry, Folkerts held legislative positions with Representative Bill Emerson of Missouri and Representative Lynn Martin of Illinois, and later he was an associate director of the Washington office for the state of Illinois.

He received a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Pamela Bailey, president and CEO of the GMA

“Brian Folkerts brings first-hand experience working on legislative and regulatory issues for the nation’s largest consumer packaged goods companies, trade associations, government agencies and Congress,” said Pamela G. Bailey, president and CEO of the GMA. “Brian’s experience in both the private sector and the public sector will be crucial to leading the federal and state government policy efforts on behalf of the food, beverage and consumer products industry.”