To keep up to date with the latest personnel changes across the seafood industry, SeafoodSource is compiling a regular round-up of hiring announcements and other personnel-related shifts worldwide. If you have an announcement, please send it to [email protected].
–Doug Santschi is the new chief commercial officer of Handy Seafood.
Santschi, formerly an executive at poultry company Tyson Foods, was named CCO of the Salisbury, Maryland, U.S.A.-based company on 7 July.
"Doug Santschi's impressive track record of operational excellence and strategic leadership at large public corporations and in private equity turnarounds makes him the ideal person to guide our commercial team as we continue to scale and innovate. His deep understanding of the consumer goods landscape will be invaluable," Handy CEO Todd Conway said in a statement.
Santschi holds an MBA from Duke University and a BA from Davidson College, and is an expert in P&L management, business strategy, brand building, and supply chain optimization, according to a company release.
"I am thrilled to join Handy Seafood at such an exciting time. I look forward to leveraging my experience to contribute to the company's continued success and growth,” Santschi said.
–Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.-based Founders Group of Food Companies has announced the appointment of Chad Stine as president of Seattle Fish Company and Lombardi Brothers Meats.
Stine is a veteran of the meat distribution industry, having formerly worked at Chicago’s Meats by Linz and having founded and led Atlanta’s Revere Meat Company. Stine has also served in sales and leadership roles at IBP, Certified Angus Beef, and Buckhead Beef.
Founders Managing Partner and Executive Chair of Seattle Fish and Lombardi Brothers Richard Harris said he was looking forward “to the leadership and vision he will bring to Seattle Fish Company and Lombardi Brothers Meats.”
Christian Maas formerly served as president, leading the integration of Seattle Fish and Lombardi Brothers. As Stine moves into the president role, Maas will take on the role of chief operating officer for Founders Group.
In a release about the news, Harris said that he wanted to “thank Christian for his outstanding leadership and contributions over the last year and a half. Chad’s appointment ensures we continue that momentum while pursuing new growth opportunities.”
Founders Group manages a portfolio of food businesses which include Presteve Foods, Walt’s Meats, Ganache Brands, Seattle Fish Company, Lombardi Brothers, and others.
Denver, Colorado-based Seattle Fish was founded in 1918, and sources over 1,4000 restaurants and retailers across the U.S. The company’s partnership with Lombardi Brand products will, the companies said, enhance their distribution networks throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountains.
–Chris Barry is the new sales development lead at Odessa, Delaware, U.S.A.-based Eight International, a fresh and frozen fish importer to the United States.
"His decision to join Eight is a tremendous vote of confidence in our mission," CEO Suki Campano said in an announcement. "With his guidance, background, and leadership, we are well-positioned to scale our operations and better serve our partners and see new levels of growth.”
Barry will serve as a senior advisor to Campano, whose firm imports warm water fish from across the globe, including from Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Indonesia, the Seychelles, the Phillipines, Portugal, India, Thailand, Oman, and the Marshall Islands.
–Richard Neligan, longtime VP of production at Santa Monica Seafood, has been named Buckhead & Newport Meat and Seafood plant manager.
According to LinkedIn, Neligan began managing the Irvine, California operation of the U.S.-based meat and seafood distributor, which is owned by Sysco, in July.
The twelve-year veteran of Santa Monica Seafood began his work at the company as Director of Production and was promoted to Senior Vice President of Production in 2013. Before working at Santa Monica Seafood, he was an Operations Manager at Starkist Samoa in American Samoa. Prior to that, he worked as a consultant for U.K.-based fish industry organization Sea Fish.
According to his LinkedIn page, Neligan is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and an expert in optimizing production processes.
