After 23 years at the helm of Gorton’s, America’s iconic fish stick company, CEO Steve Warhover is retiring, effective April 1.
Warhover will remain a board member of the Gloucester, Mass., company; F.W. Bryce, also of Gloucester; and King & Prince Seafood in Brunswick, Ga., all of which are owned by Nippon Suisan USA, a subsidiary of Nissui, one of the world’s largest seafood companies. The Japanese company acquired Gorton’s in 2001.
“Warhover’s relentless focus on innovation, brand building, productivity and organizational simplification has established Gorton’s as a highly respected, growing and profitable enterprise,” Gorton’s said in a press release. “Warhover has guided the company through a period of unprecedented growth. He has been instrumental in Nissui’s expansion within North America with the acquisitions of King & Prince and F.W. Bryce.”
Judson Reis, Gorton’s VP of marketing since 2004, will replace Warhover as president and CEO. Reis joined the company in 1990, after earning his MBA from the Columbia School of Business. He’s a graduate of Dartmouth College.
“The combination of his work experience, leadership skills and his focus on surpassing consumer expectations makes him especially well suited to lead Gorton’s,” Gorton’s said of Reis.
