Board of Directors
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Christopher
Pappas
Founder, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
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Founder, Chairman, President and Chief Executive OfficerChristopher Pappas is our founder and has served as our chief executive officer since 1985 and has been a director on our Board and our Board chairman since our IPO, and he also served as a director and the chairman of the board of our predecessor company, Chefs’ Warehouse Holdings, LLC. He has been our president since April 11, 2009 and before that was our president from our formation to January 1, 2007. Prior to founding the Company, Mr. C. Pappas played basketball professionally in Europe for several years following his graduation from Adelphi University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration. Mr. C. Pappas currently oversees all of our business activities, with a focus on product procurement, sales, marketing, strategy development, business development and operations. Mr. C. Pappas currently serves on the board of directors of the International Foodservice Distributors Association and the Hudson National Golf Club, respectively. Mr. C. Pappas’ qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive knowledge of the Company and the specialty food products distribution business and his years of leadership at the Company.
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Ivy
Brown
Director
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DirectorIvy Brown is an accomplished senior executive in the transportation services and package logistics field. Ivy spent 32 years at United Parcel Service, and recently retired as President of UPS Northeast District (Norwood, MA) where she led a $3.8 billion business unit with over 21,000 employees. Ivy was responsible for growing key markets, sales, implementing technology, and all P&L responsibilities. Ivy also has over 20 years of experience as a non-profit board director. She most recently served as a director and member of the compensation committee for the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Ivy was a recipient of the United Way “2017 Woman of Impact Award” for her achievements in the areas of professional excellence, contributions to community service, and active assistance to other women in their attainment of professional and leadership skills. Ivy earned her Master’s degree in Business Administration from Golden Gate University and her Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
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Dominick
C.
Cerbone
Director
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DirectorDominick Cerbone, age 74, has been a director on our Board since May 24, 2012. Mr. Cerbone brings over 40 years of financial and accounting experience, which have all been spent at Ernst & Young. Most recently, he was a senior partner and consultant of the national office of Ernst & Young from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that position, Mr. Cerbone was a senior partner of transaction advisory services for Ernst & Young from 1990 to 2005, where he was responsible for structuring, negotiating, facilitating, and integrating business transactions involving global public and private entities in numerous diversified industries. Other positions held at Ernst & Young include cross-border market leader of the transaction advisory services department, a partner of the audit practice and managing partner of the Stamford, Connecticut office. Mr. Cerbone is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Cerbone holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, with a major in Accounting, from Iona College. Mr. Cerbone’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive background and experience in accounting. Furthermore, he qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined in the rules and regulations of the SEC, for our Audit Committee.Financial Expert
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Joseph
Cugine
Director
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Director
Joseph Cugine, age 58, has been a director on our Board since September 7, 2012. He is currently the owner of CKA Management, which owns and manages 70 Wendy’s and Taco Bell restaurant franchises in the tri-state area. Previously, Mr. Cugine was the president and co-owner of Argo Tea, a retail and wholesale tea company based in Chicago, from 2011-2014 and, prior to that, was chief customer officer and senior vice president of PepsiCo Foodservice division from 2004-2010. Prior to that role he held a series of general manager and sales leadership roles throughout PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble. Mr. Cugine serves as member of the board of directors of BarFresh, R4 Technology, the Elliot Group and is currently President of the Ridgefield Playhouse board. Mr. Cugine’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his more than 25 years of experience in the food distribution industry, as well as his general business and investing background.
Financial Expert
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Steven
F.
Goldstone
Director
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DirectorSteven F. Goldstone, age 73, has been a director on our Board since March 7, 2016. Mr. Goldstone is the non-executive chairman of Greenhill & Co. Previously, Mr. Goldstone was the non-executive chairman of ConAgra Foods, Inc. one of the largest manufacturers of packaged food products in the US. He has also previously been a director of two other New York Stock Exchange firms, American Standard Companies and Merck & Company, Inc. From 1995 to 2000, Mr. Goldstone was chairman and chief executive officer of RJR Nabisco, Inc. one of the world’s largest consumer product companies. Prior to joining RJR Nabisco, Inc., Mr. Goldstone was a partner in the New York City law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell (“Davis Polk”). As a Davis Polk partner from 1978 to 1995, Mr. Goldstone advised corporate clients on many of the largest national and international mergers and acquisitions transactions and securities matters of the day. Mr. Goldstone currently manages Silver Spring Group, a private investment firm. Mr. Goldstone is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and attended New York University School of Law. Mr. Goldstone’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his more than 30 years of experience in leadership positions, his knowledge of the food industry, and his corporate governance expertise.
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Alan
Guarino
Director
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DirectorAlan Guarino, age 59, has been a director on our Board since November 7, 2012. Mr. Guarino brings over 24 years of global recruiting and talent management experience to our Board. Currently, Mr. Guarino is the vice chairman of Global Financial Markets at Korn/Ferry International after having served as the global sector leader of FinTech, Electronic Trading, and Transaction Services at Korn/Ferry International from 2007 until April 2012. He also serves as a senior partner in the Board Services and CEO practice of Korn/Ferry International. Mr. Guarino also serves as a member of the board of directors of the Army Science Board and co-chairman of the board of directors of the Saint Pio Foundation 501(c)(3). In 1993, Mr. Guarino launched the start-up company Cornell International that grew into a top ranked firm engaged in retained executive search and strategic human resource consulting on Wall Street and was sold to Adecco in March of 2007. Prior to that role, he served as chief operating officer of Career Directions, a regional staffing firm as a department head in Global Securities Processing at The Bank of New York and as a captain in the U.S. Army. From October 2014 through September 23, 2015, Mr. Guarino served on the board of directors of Liquid Holdings Group, Inc., a publicly-traded company which provides proprietary cloud-based trading and portfolio management solutions. During his term, Mr. Guarino also served as a member of that company’s compensation committee. Mr. Guarino’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive knowledge of human resources, compensation matters and organizational development.
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Stephen
Hanson
Director
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Director
Stephen Hanson, age 69, has been a director on our Board since July 27, 2011. He was the founder of B.R. Guest Restaurants, a New York multi-concept operator that began with one restaurant in 1987 and expanded to over 42 properties in New York City, Las Vegas and Florida. Mr. Hanson was also the president of B.R. Guest Restaurants until his retirement in December 2013. Mr. Hanson was a member of the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Consumers Council for New York City, a position he had held since January 2011. Mr. Hanson also sits on the board of directors for Publicolor, a not-for-profit organization that uses color, collaboration, design and the painting process to empower students to transform themselves, their schools and their communities. Mr. Hanson earned a business degree from New York University’s Stern School of Business in 1976. Mr. Hanson’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry, as well as his general business and investing background.
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Aylwin
Lewis
Director
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DirectorAylwin Lewis was most recently the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Potbelly Corporation (NASDAQ: PBPB), a growing Chicago-based sandwich chain with operations throughout the United States and internationally, from 2008 to 2017. Prior to Potbelly, Aylwin was Chief Executive Officer and President of Sears Holdings Corporation, which was created from the merger of two retail giants, Kmart and Sears. Aylwin was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Kmart at the time of the merger, a distinction that made Aylwin the highest ranking African-American executive in the U.S. retail industry. He has also held various executive positions at both Yum! Brands and Pizza Hut. Aylwin presently serves on the board of directors of Marriott International and VOYA Financial and previously served on the board of directors of The Walt Disney Company, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Aylwin earned his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston, Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Houston Baptist University and Bachelor of Science and Arts degrees from the University of Houston.
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Katherine
Oliver
Director
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DirectorKatherine Oliver, age 56, has been a director on our Board since November 3, 2015. Ms. Oliver brings over 25 years of media and entertainment experience to her appointment. She is known for her innovative branding strategies, business development expertise, creativity, and an unparalleled understanding and commitment to customer service. Ms. Oliver is a founding Principal at the global philanthropic consulting firm Bloomberg Associates, which was established by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to help improve the lives of citizens in cities around the world. Ms. Oliver oversees the media and technology portfolio, advising mayors and international civic leaders on economic development and public communications strategies and helping them harness the power of media and technology to improve government services. Ms. Oliver also advises a diverse range of corporate, cultural and non-profit organizations, including Bloomberg L.P., on cutting-edge content creation and marketing strategies. Ms. Oliver also sits on the board of directors for 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc. From 2002 to 2013, Ms. Oliver served under Mayor Bloomberg as New York City’s Commissioner of Media & Entertainment Media & Entertainment. During her tenure, New York’s media and entertainment industry saw its strongest growth in history, supporting 130,000 jobs and generating direct spending of $7.1 billion annually. Prior to her appointment as Commissioner, Ms. Oliver was the General Manager of Bloomberg Radio & Television. Ms. Olivers’ qualifications to serve on our Board include her extensive knowledge of branding, content creation, and marketing strategy.
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John
Pappas
Founder, Vice-Chairman, Director and Chief Operating Officer
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Founder, Vice-Chairman, Director and Chief Operating OfficerJohn Pappas, age 55, is a founder of our company and currently serves as our vice chairman, a position he has held since March 1, 2011. From our founding in 1985 to March 1, 2011, he served as our chief operating officer. Mr. J. Pappas has been a director on our Board since our IPO, and he also served as a director on the board of our predecessor company, Chefs’ Warehouse Holdings, LLC. He has over 30 years of leadership experience in logistics, facility management and global procurement and oversees our entire network of distribution centers in North America. Mr. J. Pappas is also active in the development of our corporate strategy. Mr. J. Pappas’ qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive knowledge of our company and the specialty food products distribution industry and his years of leadership at the Company.