The Alliance for Coffee Excellence, Inc. Elects New Board Members

MISSOULA, MT (September 9, 2009)- Following its annual elections, The Alliance for Coffee Excellence, Inc (ACE) welcomes two new board members to its management team.

Jason Long of the US-based Importer Café Imports and Yoshi Kato of the Japanese-based roasting company Bontain Coffee Company Ltd. will join the 11-person Board which consists of members from throughout the world. Both Long and Kato were selected to a two-year term by the membership of the organization.

Café Imports has been a Cooperating Importer and supporter of the Cup of Excellence® program for a number of years and has helped build a tremendous amount of roaster support in the United States. Bontain was one of the first Pioneer Life Time Members of the program, and Yoshi has personally participated in over 20 competitions and auctions.

ACE is the US based non-profit owner of the global Cup of Excellence® program which enjoys a worldwide membership and management team. ³After celebrating our ten year anniversary we are thrilled that Jason and Yoshi will be coming on board to help steer the program into the future,² says Susie Spindler Executive Director. Both have great ideas to create new opportunities for ACE, to solve logistics challenges, and to support the Cup of Excellence farmers and buyers.

Jason and Yoshi will join current ACE Board members Andreas Hertzberg of Norway, Roberto Bendaña of Nicaragua, Bill Swoope Jr. of USA, Stephen Hurst of UK, Kentaro Maruyama of Japan, Vinko Sandalj of Italy, Philippe Barreca of Sweden, Aleksandr Malchik of Russia and Tulio Junqueira of Brazil.

Since it's beginnings in 1999, the Cup of Excellence® program has hosted multiple competitions and auctions for award winning coffees from Brazil, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Rwanda and Colombia. For more information log on to www.cupofexcellence.org.