SQFI Appoints Brian Updegraff as Director, Financial Planning and Analysis

Jul 23, 2025

Arlington, VA – The Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), a division of FMI—The Food Industry Association, today announced the appointment of Brian Updegraff as director of financial planning and analysis. In this role, Updegraff will lead the SQFI team in developing and executing financial strategies while collaborating on revenue initiatives to support the global food safety and certification program.

SQFI Chief Food Safety Assessment Officer and Senior Vice President Gigi Vita commented on Updegraff’s appointment, saying, “Brian comes to SQFI with a proven track record of supporting cross-functional business units, both at a corporate level, as well as in the field. I look forward to his contributions and leadership.”

Updegraff joins SQFI as a seasoned finance professional with a background in budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and analysis. Before joining SQFI, Updegraff spent 24 years at Amtrak, where he held several leadership positions. Most recently, Updegraff served as senior director of operations, financial planning and analysis, where he coordinated and managed the organization's planning, forecasting and financial reporting activities.

Updegraff holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and resides in Fulton, Maryland. He will regularly collaborate with the Arlington-based SQFI team. 

About The Safe Quality Food Institute 

The Safe Quality Food (SQF) program is hosted by SQFI – Safe Quality Food Institute, a division of FMI, The Food Industry Association. FMI administers the SQF program, a leading, global food safety and quality certification and management system. While SQFI is most known for its globally benchmarked food safety and quality program, the SQFI team does much more than writing and maintaining this standard. The SQFI mission is to deliver consistent, globally recognized food safety and quality certification programs that are based on sound scientific principles, applied across all industry sectors, and valued by all stakeholders. The SQFI Program is a rigorous and credible food safety and quality management program recognized by retailers, brand owners, and food service providers world-wide. www.SQFI.com

About FMI – The Food Industry Association

As the food industry association, FMI works with and on behalf of the entire industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply chain. FMI brings together a wide range of members across the value chain — from retailers that sell to consumers, to producers that supply food and other products, as well as the wide variety of companies providing critical services — to amplify the collective work of the industry. www.FMI.org

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Heather Garlich

Heather Garlich

Senior Vice President, Communications

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