Bumble Bee Seafoods announced that CEO Jan Tharp, who has served in the role since 2018, will be stepping down from the position on 1 July, 2022.
Tharp has been with Bumble Bee Seafoods for 12 years, starting as the senior vice president of global operations and working her way up to become president and CEO, according to her LinkedIn page.
“During her tenure, Jan successfully helped navigate the company through a myriad of challenges and has positioned the 123-year-old organization for a bright future ahead,” a statement Bumble Bee provided to SeafoodSource said.
She will be replaced by Bumble Bee Seafood Company Chairman Jerry Chou, according to the statement.
“We thank Jan for the depth of her dedication to this business and all its people,” Chou said in the statement. “She is a beloved leader whose presence will be missed and our leadership team will continue to collaborate closely with her in the weeks ahead. We know how to get fish to fork better than anyone and we’re excited about what’s next for Bumble Bee.”
Tharp got her start in the role of CEO during a tumultuous period for Bumble Bee Seafoods. She was first installed as the interim CEO in the absence of the company’s former CEO Chris Lischewski, who stepped down after he, and Bumble Bee, were indicted on federal price-fixing charges.
Lischewski – who in an interview with SeafoodSource maintained his innocence – went on to be convicted of the charges brought against him. Bumble Bee pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of at least USD 25 million (EUR 23.4 million). The fines and other costs led the company to exceed the leverage ratio it was allowed under the terms of its senior debt, and the company ultimately ended up filing for bankruptcy.
During that process, Taiwan-based Fong Chun Formosa (FCF) Fishery Company emerged as a stalking-horse bidder for the company, and ultimately purchased Bumble Bee Seafoods for a sum that was, according to Bloomberg, around USD 925 million (EUR 868 million). According to bankruptcy documents, future Bumble Bee CEO Chou was at the time a shareholder of FCF.
The company soon finalized the purchase in January 2020 in what Tharp called “an exciting new chapter” for the company.
Since the purchase by FCF, Bumble Bee formed a distribution deal with the Gathered Foods Corporation, which makes Good Catch plant-based seafood products, and Tharp then joined the company’s board of directors.
Tharp called Chou a “thoughtful leader” who “cares deeply about the company and everyone in it.”
“I am so proud of all our team members around the globe who helped move this fantastic business forward in bold and innovative ways,” she said.
Tharp did not respond to a request for comment by SeafoodSource.
Photo courtesy of Bumble Bee Seafoods
