AIO Food and Energy Assistance said May 12 that Joe Ryan has been hired as AIO’s new warehouse manager, a role essential in the acquisition and distribution of food for AIO’s Food Assistance programs, which include the Food Pantry and Backpack programs. 

In addition to overseeing AIO’s food acquisition and distribution efforts, Joe will manage food inventory, storage, and preparations for distribution. Food safety and warehouse sanitation will be central to the Food Pantry’s operations.

Joe plans to utilize the USDA “MyPlate” nutritional standards to guide acquisition and warehouse storage systems. 

No stranger to leadership roles, effective communication, and project management, Joe brings his extensive experience to a new venue, where it can be put to use and make a significant impact on AIO’s operational processes.  

Joe founded Adventure Advertising in 1985, a mid-size advertising agency and graphic design studio located in Rockport. Along with his wife and business partner, Ginny Ryan, Adventure Advertising worked with many local businesses to help define their brand and market opportunities.

With a deep commitment to community, Joe served on the board of directors, as well as committees for many non-profit organizations during transitional periods including the Penobscot Bay YMCA, the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, and PAWS Animal Adoption Center. 

Joe and Ginny have been wonderful supporters of AIO over the years, assisting with communications and advertising materials, and most recently as volunteers at AIO’s Food Pantry. 

The Ryans sold Adventure Advertising in 2019 to embark on a new chapter in their professional careers, one focused on community service.

Since then they have volunteered at AIO Food Pantry and have helped with both the intake of food from sources including the Good Shepherd Food Bank and commercial vendors, as well as the food distribution to families throughout the community.

Joe has also been involved with the Knox County Food Council, helping to develop communication tools for food assistance organizations in Knox County to share food resources and create a comprehensive services schedule to help those in need find the services that are available to them. 

“There are many families in our community that suffer food insecurity while nearly 40% of the food we produce as a nation goes to waste”, said Joe Ryan, in a news release from AIO. “It is our mission to serve those who need food assistance and to provide more food more often. Our new home will allow us to reduce food waste by safely storing bulk supplies of food and will allow us to work more closely with our local farmers. I am very excited to be part of the critical service AIO Food Pantry provides at this transitional time.”

The systems that Joe will create and put into place will serve the organization well as they make plans to move into their new building, once the remaining $185,000 of the campaign goal has been reached. The new 3,800 square foot building will include a larger and more efficient food market, a larger client waiting room, a private intake office, consultative offices for the AIO Energy Assistance voucher program, as well as a root cellar, loading dock, food receiving and processing areas, and commercial refrigeration. 

AIO Board President Liz Jenkins is excited about the new warehouse manager position, and especially excited to have found a person as qualified as Joe Ryan to fill it. As AIO moves into its new building this summer, nothing is more central to its operation than the acquisition and delivery of food. Joe will be an important part of the plan to provide more food more often.”

Joe can be contacted at foodpantry@aiofoodpantry.org.  The AIO Food Pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30am-12:00pm and Wednesday evening from 5:00-6:30pm and is adhering to social distancing protocols as mandated by the state.  To learn more about AIO’s programs, modified operations and building project, please visit www.aiofoodpantry.org.