May 1, 2006 9:32 AM, from staff and wire reports

The board of directors of the Food Products Association (FPA) and the Executive Committee of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) have agreed in principle to merge the two organizations effective Jan 1, 2007. The merger will not be fully ratified until GMA's board of directors considers and votes on the terms of the agreement at its June board meeting and the general membership of FPA and GMA approve.

In a separate process, the GMA Search Committee recommended to the GMA Executive Committee, and it agreed, that FPA President and Chief Executive Officer Cal Dooley be named head of the merged organization if the merger is approved. GMA President and CEO Manly Molpus will continue until his previously announced retirement date of Dec 31, 2006. Dooley would serve as president and CEO of the merged organization beginning Jan 1, 2007.

The combined organization will be known as GMA/FPA for the first year; after that, it will be known as GMA. The merged entity would represent nearly 300 member companies from every sector of the food, beverage, and consumer products industry.