USA – Neogen Corporation has appointed two senior executives to lead its global food safety business as the company strengthens its commercial and operational leadership across international markets.
The Michigan-based diagnostics and food safety company confirmed that Joe Freels assumed the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer on January 5, 2026, while Dr. Tammi Ranalli joined as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Food Safety, on January 7, 2026.
The appointments place two healthcare and diagnostics veterans at the center of Neogen’s Food Safety business unit, which serves food producers, processors, laboratories, and regulators across more than 140 countries.
New leadership structure for global food safety
In her new role, Dr. Ranalli will hold full profit-and-loss responsibility for Neogen’s global Food Safety portfolio. Her mandate includes setting and executing the company’s global strategy for product development, marketing, research and development, and regulatory engagement.
Ranalli joins Neogen from QuidelOrtho, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the company’s molecular diagnostics and point-of-care business units.
Over more than a decade across Quidel, QuidelOrtho, and earlier roles at BioHelix and academic institutions, she has led large diagnostic portfolios, overseen regulatory-aligned product pipelines, and managed global commercial operations.
She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Cornell University. Her career began in research and quality systems, later expanding into business development, marketing, and executive leadership within regulated life science environments.
Commercial operations under new direction
Freels will oversee Neogen’s global Food Safety commercial strategy, including sales, regional marketing, customer and technical services, and commercial operations. His role centralizes commercial execution for the company’s food safety portfolio across regions.
He brings more than two decades of experience in diagnostics, life sciences, and healthcare, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, Global Commercial Operations at Cepheid, a molecular diagnostics company within the Danaher group.
At Cepheid, Freels helped guide commercial operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and led teams supporting point-of-care molecular testing programs across North America, South America, and Asia-Pacific.
In previous leadership roles, Freels managed commercial operations for a molecular diagnostics business generating approximately US$2.5 billion in annual revenue across multiple regions.
He has also held senior commercial roles at Abbott, where he managed product portfolios with annual revenues of about US$125 million and led global marketing and sales strategies across acute care and laboratory markets.
His background includes experience in sales operations, market segmentation, customer engagement, commercial systems, and organizational change management across large, regulated healthcare organizations.
Executive statements and company context
Neogen President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Nassif said the appointments bring together commercial, scientific, and operational leadership needed to support customers globally and strengthen the company’s food safety business.
In a message shared on LinkedIn, Freels said he was “honored and excited” to join Neogen and expressed interest in working with the company’s global teams, partners, and customers to advance its mission.
Ranalli, in a separate post, described her transition from QuidelOrtho as the start of a new chapter focused on advancing food and animal safety through science-based solutions.
Neogen’s role in global food safety
Neogen develops testing solutions and data-driven tools for food safety, animal health, and environmental monitoring. Its food safety portfolio includes diagnostic test kits, sanitation monitoring systems, and digital tools used by food manufacturers and laboratories to detect pathogens, allergens, and contaminants.
The company operates in more than 140 countries and serves food producers, processors, retailers, and regulatory bodies. Its broader business spans food safety, livestock, and pet health and wellness.
The leadership changes come as global food systems face increasing regulatory scrutiny, supply chain complexity, and rising demand for rapid testing and traceability tools. Neogen’s food safety unit supports compliance with international food safety standards and regulatory frameworks across multiple markets.