GRAPEVINE: News About People.

Cadbury Schweppes named Brad Irwin as president of Mott's, Inc. replacing Gil Cassagne, who has been promoted to managing director, Asia Pacific, overseeing the firm's beverage and confectionery business. Irwin joins Mott's from Procter & Gamble, where he held a number of senior management positions.

New World Coffee-Manhattan Bagel, Inc. appointed William Rianhard as president and chief operating officer. He replaces Sandy Nacht, who resigned to pursue an Internet based franchise services venture. Rianhard, comes to New World with over 30 years experience in the foodservice and franchise industries, including 20 years at Dunkin' Donuts and parent company Allied Domecq U.S. Retailing.

Safeway, Inc. announced Michael Ross, senior vice president and general counsel, will retire at the end of this month. His successor will be Robert Gordon, currently the company's deputy general counsel. Ross joined Safeway in 1993.

Gustavo Martinez was promoted to executive vice president, Kellogg Company and president, Kellogg Latin America, Additionally, John Renwick IV will join Kellogg as vice president, investor relations and competitor analysis. Martinez joined Kellogg in 1982; Renwick comes to the cereal maker from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.

Molson, Inc. appointed Daniel O'Neill president and chief executive, succeeding E. James Arnett who will step down June 27. O'Neill currently is executive vice-president and chief operating officer, joined Molson in 1999. O'Neill also has held senior management positions at H.J. Heinz Co., Campbell Soup Co. and S.C. Johnson Wax.

Novopoint, an Internet company formed to bring together sellers of food ingredients, packaging and related services, named former Nestle executive Robert Schult as its chief executive officer. Novopoint.com, an independent company formed by Cargill, Inc., Ariba, Inc. and Crosspoint Ventures Partners, is expected to begin operating this summer.

John Austin is elected to serve in the additional position as corporate secretary of Performance Food Group Co., replacing David Sober who is retiring after a career of more than 40 years in the food industry. Austin, who will continue to serve as the company's corporate treasurer, joined Performance Food as corporate controller in 1995.

Robert Smith, a leading supermarket industry merchandising executive, joined New Jersey-based food retailer The Grand Union Company as corporate vice president, merchandising. Smith has over three decades years of experience in the grocery industry, most of it with what is now the Vons division of Safeway Stores, Inc.

Nabisco Holdings re-elected the incumbent board of directors at the company's annual meeting. The board members are: Herman Cain, John Chain, Jr., Julius Chambers, John Clendenin, Steven Goldstone, Ray Groves, David Jenkins, Nancy Karch, James Kilts, Fred Langhammer, H. Eugene Lockhart, Theodore Martin, and Rozanne Ridgway.

William Pietersen become the first outside member appointed to the board of Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. Pietersen is a professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Business. The coop's board had been composed of 25 growerowners, with no external or management representation. In a move to speed up decision-making and bring fresh perspective to the panel, shareholders voted to shrink the board from 25 to 15, and include three outside directors and the CEO.

Coca-Cola Co. is expected to name Charles Holleran as chief communications officer, ending a long search for an executive to head efforts aimed at repairing the soft-drink giant's tarnished image and to give its public relations a fresh voice. Holleran, managing director of global communications at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, will move to the Atlanta company.