Specialty Coffee Pros Joel Shuler and Todd Arnette Join Coffee Quality Institute

New CQI staff members Joel Shuler (left) and Todd Arnette. Photo courtesy of Coffee Quality Institute.

The Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) has announced the addition of two key staff members: Coffee processing expert Joel Shuler, and longtime specialty coffee professional Todd Arnette.

Both Shuler and Arnette will be joining the nonprofit’s education department, with Shuler serving as a processing specialist and Arnette managing the Q Program, designed to educate and certify green coffee specialists while also promoting a common language for the coffee industry.

The Q Program currently includes courses and certifications in Q Cupping Essentials, Q Grader and Q Processing.

“We are excited to bring both Joel and Todd on board to fill important roles in our education department,” CQI CEO Tina Yerkes said in an announcement of the new hires. “Both have been active participants with CQI as instructors, teaching post-harvest processing and Q grading, respectively, as well as helping on origin projects. As experienced coffee professionals throughout the value chain, their experience and enthusiasm is going to help CQI update and expand education offerings, and we are looking forward to increasing impact on coffee quality and the lives of those that produce it.”

In addition to their longstanding working relationship with CQI, Shuler is the founder and owner of the Austin, Texas-based Brazilian coffee brand Casa Brasil, while Arnette is the owner of the Williamsburg-Virginia Academy of Coffee Excellence and Williamsburg Coffee & Tea.