Dorval Trading Co. has announced two appointments. Steven Nadel was named to the newly created position of director of marketing. He joins Dorval from The Ferolie Group, where he worked as a business manager for the Masterfoods Snack account. In conjunction with this appointment, Lance Reiter, national sales manager, is moving up to a newly created position, director of sales.

Blueberry Hill Foods has announced two new appointments. Stan Tyra, a 25-year-veteran of the consumer products industry, has been named vice president of sales. Kelly White, who has 14 years of experience in consumer packaged goods, including 11 focused on candy, is vice president of marketing.

Ralph Scozzafava has been named to the new position of vice president, worldwide commercial operations, for Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. He also becomes a member of Wrigley’s Executive Leadership team.

In his new role, Scozzafava, who joined Wrigley in 2001 after holding a variety of leadership positions at the Campbell Soup Co., assumes global leadership responsibility for all facets of Wrigley’s commercial business. According to Ron Waters, Wrigley’s Chief Operating Officer, the decision to create the new position was based on “our expanding global presence and our growth across the confections category.”

Jelly Belly Candy Co. has created new positions to expand the company’s overseas sales. Ellen Welby, who has served as international sales manager, was appointed to the new position of business manager, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Canada.

Karl Heigold, who joined the company after three years as European regional manager for Just Born, was named to the new position of business manager, Europe.

NECCO (New England Confectionery Company) will close its manufacturing facility in Thibodaux, La., on May 18. The plant employs 29 people, all of whom were offered the opportunity to relocate to NECCO’s Pewaukee, Wis., facility.

NECCO President and CEO Domenic Antonellis called the plant closure decision “a difficult one” and added that there are “multiple reasons” for it. Among those he cited were the fact that NECCO’s state-of-the-art facility in Revere, Mass., has the capacity to take on additional poundage and the cost of delivering refined sugar to Louisiana is much greater than to the company’s other two facilities.

Purchased by NECCO as part of the Stark Candy Co. acquisition in 1990, the Thibodaux facility is approximately 37,000 square feet in size. The building will be put up for sale.

Chuck Mohr has joined Solon, Ohio-based Shankman & Associates in conjunction with Shankman’s acquisition of substantial assets of Mohr & Son brokerage. Mohr is serving as area manager for the states of Kentucky and West Virginia. He will relocate to Kentucky.

Mexican baking concern Grupo Bimbo says it will purchase the Chinese unit of Spanish baker Panrico SA. The acquisition, which is slated to close within the next several months, marks Bimbo’s entry into China.

After five years at the helm, Quality Candy Co. President and CEO Al Bono will leave the company. Pierre Redmond, founder and chairman of Henderson, Nev.-based Quality Candy will re-assume the role of president/CEO.

“Al has led us from being a little- known maker of foodservice and private label candy and a contract manufacturer to being a well known supplier of a broad range of retail products to several classes of trade,” said Redmond.

 In addition, Ken Margulis, whose career track includes 13 years at Price Club and 11 years as president of Ken Margulis Sales Inc., is joining the management team as vice president of sales and marketing.

Following declining sales, Masterfoods USA announced it is discontinuing AquaDrops mints, the Cookies & cookie line and bite-size Pop’ables candy. The company also plans to cut part of its estimated $300 million in promotion spending to retailers, putting the savings in advertising. According to Masterfoods President Bob Gamgort, cutting trade spending and failing products will allow the company to increase advertising by 20 percent as well as fund acquisitions.