• Joseph Apuzzo Jr

    CEO

  • Joseph Apuzzo III

    EVP

  • John Randall

    VP Trading

  • Al Celestino

    Traffic Director

  • Vincent Papa

    Controller

  • David Joelson

    Trading Manager

  • Janis Cutler

    Traffic Manager

  • Joseph Coniglio

    Trader/Coordinator N.A. Sales

  • Izwandi Rusli

    Lab Manager

  • Joseph Apuzzo Jr

    CEO

    Mr. Apuzzo Jr. is the CEO and owner of Armenia Coffee Corporation.  He is a 40 year veteran of the coffee industry serving as Chairman and Director of the boards of both the National and Green Coffee Associations for many years.  His adherence to strict quality standards and strong ethics has made him a well-respected figure in the industry.  His father was a coffee icon and was involved in the formation of the company 60 years ago.  Family tradition has been deeply engrained in the first two Apuzzo generations and this culture is proudly being carried on by Joseph Apuzzo III.

  • Joseph Apuzzo III

    EVP

    Joseph Apuzzo III started working full-time in the industry right out of college in 2015 but has lived in this business for his entire life.  He has brought an element of freshness to the company in the form of innovative ideas and high energy.  As a third-generation coffee “professional,” Joe enjoys the benefit of having the Apuzzo name, which carries a lot of respect in the industry but he constantly seeks to make his own mark by looking into different opportunities in the business.  Whether it is a new coffee filter, a different way to brew, or a focus on directing the company toward specialty/exotic coffee – if the idea is new and different, he is interested.

  • John Randall

    VP Trading

    John has been a member of the coffee trade since February 1978 and has sat at the desk of just about every job you can have in the coffee import trade.  He’s been building relationships all around the world ever since, it’s what he calls the best part of his job.  John was an apprentice early on, learning from seasoned professionals about coffee and what makes it special.  In the 80’s when a movement started to identify special coffees and build a trade association, John was on the steering committee which lead to the creation of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and was recognized in 1991 with an award for Outstanding Contributions to the Association.

    Professionals sharing their passions and knowledge for coffee is what started John along his path, and what motivates him even today.  He joined Armenia Coffee Corp on July 11, 1994 as a green coffee trader (remembering why that date is important to coffee, check out this NY Times article)

    It’s been every bit that interesting a ride ever since.  John fancies himself a bit of a geek as his 4 phones, 2 tablets and multiple computers will attest, and believes technology and coffee go well together.  He believes that working together makes the end result better than the sum of the parts and to that end loves to blend Yirgacheffee, Mandheling and a nice Colombian believing this is as heavenly a blend as there ever was.

  • Al Celestino

    Traffic Director

    Al began his path in the coffee trade in 1980 with the Nestle Foods Coffee Division in the Green Coffee Quality Lab. Here, he was trained in cupping, a skill that he still enjoys today. Additionally, he assisted the Traffic Department, and eventually progressed to the position of Traffic Logistics Manager.

    In September of 1990, Al joined Armenia Coffee Corporation as the Traffic Manager. In this role, he is responsible for the coordination of all coffee movements, import documentation, claims, invoices, freight payments, negotiations of steamship contracts, and the creation and monitoring of import cost spreadsheets. He also prepares documentation for US customs, and ensures FDA and CTPAT compliance. Additionally, Al interfaces with the trading, finance, and accounting departments within Armenia, and develops and maintains good relationships by working closely with the company’s customers.

    Al is an avid sports fan and enjoys keeping up with the latest electronic devices. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, and sharing his knowledge of coffee and the field with those around him. His favorite cup of coffee is a full-bodied acidic blend, like an Ethiopian Yirgacheffee or Kenya AA.

  • Vincent Papa

    Controller

  • David Joelson

    Trading Manager

    Dave joined Armenia in 2018 upon the acquisition of Amcafe and is working to integrate the two companies while servicing customers and sourcing coffees. Like so many coffee industry people, his path to the coffee business was, well, accidental.  “I had a perfectly good corporate career when my employer — a company called General Foods — transferred me to their plant in San Leandro, California to be plant controller.  Yes, I was a bean-counter in a coffee roasting facility…living the dream.”  Shortly after that, a local green coffee legend, the late Peter McLaughlin, invited him to his coffee trading operation to learn about the strange ritual known has “cupping,” and Dave was hooked.  Dave later became the director of the company’s North American green-coffee buying operation, and his bean-counting days were over for good.  After a detour into the world of commodity software, he returned to coffee in 2015 as General Manager of Amcafé and its parent company, Finagra USA before the Armenia acquisition.

    When he is not hard at work, Dave kicks back with his classic rock band “Willfull Misconduct” playing keyboards and horns and serving up his favorite coffee, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, to his band-mates at rehearsals. Dave lives in Stamford, Connecticut with his wife Sharon.

  • Janis Cutler

    Traffic Manager

    Janis’ entry into the world of coffee began with Saks International Inc. That large commercial coffee-trading operation afforded her the opportunity to learn all aspects of the coffee business. When Saks closed, Janis joined Mike Glenister who was just opening a new Specialty Coffee Trading company, Amcafé.  It was the dawn, or perhaps mid-morning, of the Specialty Coffee era, and an exciting time to be introducing rare and wonderful coffees to US Roasters.

    Now part of the Armenia team, Janis brings to every task an intimate knowledge of coffee, gained through years of experience. “Coffee is my passion — I’m all about the bean,” she says.  “That’s the way it’s been for years. What I love most is that not a day goes by that I don’t learn something new about the world of coffee.”  If you ask Janis what she did this weekend, she will inevitably tell you that she was exploring New York City and its coffee shops.  Her favorite coffee comes from the western highlands of Papua New Guinea – Sigri Plantation AA.  If you never tried it, give her a call!

  • Joseph Coniglio

    Trader/Coordinator N.A. Sales

    Although Mr. Coniglio is new to Armenia and the Coffee industry, he has extensive business and sales experience. He graduated from Iona Preparatory and decided to follow his entrepreneurial spirit rather than the typical college path. He was an equity broker and series 7 & 63 license holder. He has consulted and advised multiple business ventures. Most recently, Mr. Coniglio was working with BMW in an advisor roll. With his attention to detail and passion he quickly exceled into a management capacity. Mr. Coniglio is excited to learn a new industry and grow a new segment of Armenia Coffee Corporation organically. His energy and outside the box analyses are a great addition to the company. Mr. Coniglio is embracing the coffee world and learning all aspects from sourcing to roasting to cupping. He enjoys sports and is a keen automotive enthusiast. In his spare time, he loves to travel and spend time with family and friends. His current preference is a superb 100% Colombian.

  • Izwandi Rusli

    Lab Manager

    Born in Sumatra in the heart of Mandheling country, Izwandi first became involved in the business of coffee in 1994 as an employee of the Indonesian Government Marketing office in New York.  He was responsible for marketing a variety of Indonesian products in the United States, not the least of which was green coffee, as well as cocoa, tea, palm oil, and rubber.  When the government office was closed in the wake of the Asian coffee crisis, Izwandi continued to represent the major government-owned coffee producer PTP Nusantara XII in North America.

    Izwandi’s association with Amcafé began in 2001 as a consultant and quality manager for Indonesian coffees, but his knack for cupping soon led to a full-time position as quality manager.  His colleagues get a kick out of watching his face while cupping, as he is unable to contain his reactions, and all of us at Armenia urge Izwandi to never take up the game of poker.

    With over 20 years promoting Indonesian products in the U.S., Izwandi is truly coffee’s “Mr. Indonesia” and serves today on various Indonesian government and private offices, including Indonesia’s Embassy, Consulate, ITPC (Indonesian Trade and Promotion Center), Bank Indonesia (Central Bank), Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), and the American-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce.