Diamond Foods brings Blechschmidt to board of directors

STOCKTON, Calif. Diamond Foods, processor, marketer and distributer of Diamond and Emerald nut and snack products, announced the addition of Edward A. Blechschmidt to its board of directors today. Blechschmidt will also lead as chairman of the audit committee.

Diamond Foods board chairman, John Gilbert, said, “We are very pleased to welcome Ed Blechschmidt to the Diamond Foods Board. [Blechschmidt] is a very talented executive who brings to Diamond strong leadership and financial skills in a wide variety of industries, including technology, health care and professional services.”

From December 2006 to May 2007, Blechschmidt served as chief executive officer of Novelis, Inc., aluminum rolled products and aluminum can recycling. Prior to his service at Novelis, Blechschmidt had served as chairman, chief executive office and president of Gentiva Health Services from 2000 through 2002. He is a graduate of Arizona State University.