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Phyllis Lehrer AMHERST - Philip Korman, the director of development of the National Priorities Project, is the new executive director of CISA, replacing Annie Cheatham, who retired. "For me it's a continuation of my love and passion to connect the way we live to our values, " said Korman in a telephone interview Monday. CISA links farmers and community members to promote and strengthen agriculture in ways that enhance the economy, rural character and social well being of western Massachusetts, according to its brochure. Korman, who starts March 31, said the first step is to take time to listen. The challenge CISA faces is based on its success: It has increased awareness. More than 80 percent of area consumers are aware of the Buy Local, Be a Local Hero campaign, he said. It has maintained rural character, kept family farms vibrant, contributed to the economy, added to open space and brought new responsiveness to the whole issue of energy in getting food to the table. The next challenge may be dealing with agricultural infrastructure, such as slaughterhouses, he said. Korman said he always buys local produce. After he finishes the gallon of maple syrup tapped from his backyard, he said, he buys syrup from his local maple syrup producer. "Wherever I shop, I look for the local food produce label," he said. For the past seven years, Korman has worked at the National Priorities Project, where he was responsible for the national development program that has doubled the organization's revenues, diversified its funding and helped strengthen its management practices. He has served as program manager at the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, where he aided towns and nonprofit organizations in organizational planning and securing financial resources. He was founding director of an independent Western MassCOSH, a coalition of workers, unions and health and legal professionals that aims to improve workplace health and safety conditions. He has an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a master's in public health from the University of California at Berkeley.
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