Farewell, Jim!
The moment he’s been planning for has arrived: Jim’s retirement!
Jim Harmon has spent 35 years in the seafood industry, beginning with American Seafoods. Jim devoted 23 years to SeaShare, first as Director of Operations, and then as Executive Director for the past 15 years.
During his tenure at SeaShare, Jim has focused on donation partnerships for the food bank network; combining products, services, and funds to secure long-term donations of seafood that no single entity could justify or sustain. Jim has understood the intricacies of the seafood harvesting, processing, and distribution industry, and the challenges it takes for companies to donate products. Jim has simultaneously had the food banks and their customers’ needs front and center, ensuring that everyone has access to nutrient-dense seafood.
Jim instituted donations of freezer containers in small towns and villages in Alaska to help further seafood donations within the state, including in Dillingham, Bethel, and Juneau. Under his leadership, SeaShare has made sure that all donations in Alaska are done at zero cost to the receiving agency. Jim also worked to coordinate disaster relief to the south during Hurricanes Katrina and Irma.
His experience in operations and procurement, along with strong leadership and organizational skills, helped SeaShare garner many accolades during Jim’s tenure, including:
- 2019 General Mills Food Recovery Champion
- 2016 Alaska Ocean Leadership Award - Stewardship & Sustainability from the
Alaska SeaLife Center - 2012 LA Food Bank Top 50 Donor
- 2011/2012 Food Lifeline Top Donor
- 2011 Alaska Champion Award from Global Food Alaska
- 2008 Evergreen Award for Groundbreaking Work in Partnerships and Collaboration from the Seattle-based Executive Alliance at the 14th Annual Washington State Non-profit Conference
- 2006 Sustainable Fisheries Leadership Award in the categories of Community Service, Media, and Public Education from NOAA -U.S. Dept. of Commerce
- Feeding America Hunger’s Hope Award (1995-2001)