Prominent Advertising and Consumer Protection Expert Joins APCO’S IAC

Washington (September 12, 2016) – Elaine Kolish, former vice president and director, Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (BBB), joined APCO’s International Advisory Council (IAC) announced Margery Kraus, founder and executive chairman of APCO Worldwide.

“Elaine has a proven track record of shaping and implementing transformative policies and practices in the food and beverage sectors,” Kraus said. “Her experience as a leading advertising and consumer protection expert also will strengthen the counsel we provide to our clients as they face a complex regulatory environment. We’re delighted to welcome Elaine to our IAC.”

While with BBB, Ms. Kolish led an advertising self-regulation program that addressed concerns about food and beverage advertising to children. Under Kolish’s guidance, the initiative transformed the children’s food advertising landscape, and resulted in 18 of the country’s leading packaged goods companies and quick serve restaurants agreeing to limit advertising to children to food that met specific nutrition standards.

Prior to joining BBB, Ms. Kolish advised companies and executive leaders on advertising law, FTC compliance, and other regulatory and legislative issues as a partner at a national law firm.

Ms. Kolish was also a member of the Federal Trade Commission for nearly 25 years. As associate director of enforcement for the agency’s Bureau of Consumer Protection and as a member of the FTC’s Senior Executive Service, Kolish’s responsibilities included enforcing the FTC Act and overseeing compliance with numerous consumer protection statutes and FTC orders.

“I’m very excited to be joining APCO’s International Advisory Council,” Kolish said. “The firm’s strong commitment to providing counsel in the food and beverage industry helps differentiate APCO in the marketplace. I look forward to adding to the APCO’s global expertise and helping the firm’s clients.

Ms. Kolish is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and holds a juris doctorate degree from the Western New England College School of Law.

Kolish joins a distinguished group of food, consumer and regulatory experts on APCO’s IAC including:

• Nicholas Ashooh, former vice president of corporate affairs for Alcoa
• Dan Glickman, former U.S. congressman; former U.S. secretary of agriculture; former chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc.
• Chris Hassall, former global external relations officer at Procter & Gamble
• Karen Hulebak, former chair of the Codex Alimentarius Commission; principal at Resolution Strategy, LLC., a food-safety consultancy
• Sandra E. Taylor, former senior vice president of corporate social responsibility for Starbucks Coffee Company
• Derek Yach, executive director of The Vitality Group; former senior vice president of global health and agriculture policy at PepsiCo