Marcy Bemiller, wearing pink, in a photo with the Ode team—including CEO Ola Kvalheim (far left), Global Commercial Director Anders Tofte Wilhelmsen (center), and Sales Manager Tone Hellesvik (far right)—during Seafood Expo North America 2026.
Photo: Ode.
Proving that cod farming can be profitable—done. Becoming the world's first ASC-certified farmed cod producer—done. What's next? Now, Ode sets out to conquer the Americas, and to do so, it is bringing on board one of the most experienced figures in the American seafood industry.
On Friday afternoon, the Norwegian cod producer announced the appointment of Marcy Bemiller as Commercial Director of Ode Americas. With more than three decades of experience in seafood management, logistics, sales, marketing, and international trade, this seasoned executive will, in her new role, oversee the regional commercial strategy for this important strategic push by Ode on the other side of the Atlantic.
The appointment comes as the company continues to pursue its international growth strategy, in which the United States—with a broader market launch planned for this fall—is a market of particular importance. Ode's founder and CEO, Ola Kvalheim, stated that bringing Bemiller on board was a crucial part of that plan.
"The Americas represent the single biggest growth opportunity for farmed cod, and we are entering with full force," he said. "To do that, you need someone who has actually built seafood brands and sales organizations in that market — not once, but throughout an entire career. Marcy is exactly that person," Kvalheim claimed.
As the cod farmer noted in its announcement, Marcy Bemiller's management experience includes serving as President of the U.S. division of Sano Seafoods and as Director of Foodservice and National Accounts for Marine Harvest (Mowi), where she developed a deep understanding of the Chilean seafood industry.
The new Commercial Director of Ode Americas brings a wealth of experience in both aquaculture and wild-caught fisheries. She began her career in the Mississippi catfish industry before joining Trident Seafoods, and, according to Ode, she often credits her time at Trident—selling wild Alaskan seafood—as providing a foundational "real-world" education that far exceeded her four years at Kent State University.
The company also noted that, beyond her corporate roles, Bemiller is a staunch advocate for the fishing industry. Ode's newest appointee serves on the Board of Directors of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), where she has been an active committee member for many years.
She is also a co-founder of the Sea Sirens, a professional network of over 85 women spanning every sector of the industry—from C-suite executives and QA specialists, buyers and marketing professionals—focused on mentorship and leadership growth.
Marcy Bemiller is now joining Ode following a successful career as the founder of Candor Consulting LLC and Candor Seafood, where, since 2016, she has provided specialized consulting services and comprehensive marketing, sales, and logistics solutions to clients in the global seafood industry, managing the entire value chain.
It is precisely in this consulting work that, as Ola Kvalheim confirmed, Bemiller had already collaborated with Ode. "She has worked with us since the early days of our journey into the U.S., so she knows who we are and what we stand for," Ode's CEO and founder said.
"She shares our passion for quality and our belief that cod deserves a place among the world's great premium seafood. I'm genuinely thrilled to have her on the team, and I can't wait to see Ode Cod on plates across the Americas," Kvalheim added.
The Commercial Director of Ode Americas was equally delighted to join the ranks of the Norwegian farmed cod producer. "Over the years, I've had many opportunities to move from a consulting role to a permanent position with a client, and Ode is exactly what I have been looking for in a company and a producer," Marcy Bemiller said.
"They go far beyond the industry 'buzzwords' of sustainability and traceability; it is the genuine vision, the commitment to product quality, and the passion that starts with the leadership and trickles down through the entire organization that truly hooked me," she continued.
"Having consulted for the team since the beginning, I already feel like part of the family, and I look forward to a seamless transition into this new chapter and getting the Ode Cod on the menu at home and at your favorite restaurant from Canada to Chile," she concluded. Given the company's track record in recent times, she will have no shortage of selling points.
