>Jack Hansen, vice president of Retail Merchandising for the Idaho Potato Commission, died Friday, October 31, after a brief and courageous battle with cancer.
Frank Muir, president, said all his co-workers and many friends he made through a lifetime in the produce industry will miss Hansen. Muir said he was a valuable member of the IPC team, and we express our sincere condolences to all who knew him.
Hansen joined the IPC in 1991, coming from the Washington Apple Commission, serving as vice president and national merchandising director.
A funeral was held today in Boise. Private burial was at Dry Creek Cemetery in Boise.
Born in Cleveland, OH, in 1947, he graduated from Roosevelt College in 1970 with a degree in business administration.
Muir said Hansen's background and experience meshed well with his responsibilities. He revitalized "Potato Lover's Month" program whih he elevated to the high level it enjoys today, including fresh and dehy Idaho potatoes displayed in supermarket produce sections across the country during the month of February.
He was responsible for the Commission's Internet presence to the IPC's retail consumer and foodservice customers, providing easy and convenient access to clip art, streaming videos and photography. He supervised four regional market relations' directors, planning and arranging advertising programs with major grocery chains and overseeing trade magazine efforts.
Memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society, 2676 Vista Ave., in Boise or to the Jack Hansen Memorial Fund at any Key Bank location in Idaho. He is survived by an aunt and uncle of Sayre, PA, by a son, Jeffrey, in Nebraska, and three grandchildren.