California Cooperative Official to Lead Cotton Council International

MEMPHIS - Robert W. Norris, a California cooperative official, recently was named president of Cotton Council International (CCI), the export promotion arm of the Memphis-based National Cotton Council (NCC).

He succeeds David Stanford and will lead CCI’s global U.S. cotton fiber and cotton product promotion efforts. Norris, who is an NCC delegate, has served as president and chief executive officer of Calcot, Ltd. since August. He has been employed by the Bakersfield-based cooperative since 1969 and most recently served as its executive vice-president. Norris also serves as a vice president of Amcot, Inc., the international sales arm of the nation’s four major cotton marketing cooperatives, and previously was its secretary/treasurer.

A veteran, Norris served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University – Fresno and also graduated from the Financial Executive Program at Pennsylvania State University in 1982. Norris, who is an advisor to the Bakersfield College Athletic Foundation, resides in Bakersfield with his wife, Donna. They have two children.

In pursuing the goal of building U.S. exports of cotton and cotton products, CCI, headquartered in Washington, DC, continues to employ a successful supply-push/demand-pull strategy that addresses the needs of international customers. It is a proven strategy that identifies, develops and makes the most of opportunities at every stage of the marketing chain, from the sell-in of U.S. cotton fiber to the sell-through of products and finished goods containing a majority of U.S. grown cotton and licensed to use the COTTON USA Mark.