Premium Food Distributor Continues Its Path to Growth While Doubling Down on Its Commitment to Providing Customers with Quality They Can Trust and Service that Delivers, Promoting Ben Walker to CRO and Hiring Regina Picciano as CPO
Baldor Specialty Foods, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic’s largest premium foods distributor, announced today two strategic executive additions to CEO TJ Murphy’s leadership team. The new positions represent a continued investment in the company’s growth trajectory, with a particular focus on the happiness and success of employees and customers.
The new appointments include:
Benjamin Walker, who has been promoted to Chief Revenue Officer. A Baldor veteran, Ben joined the company in 2013 as Director of Business Development, and soon after was promoted to Director of Marketing and Business Development. After numerous successful campaigns, he became Senior Director and VP before ultimately becoming SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Merchandising in 2021. Among his career achievements are the development of the Baldorfood.com website and ecommerce experience, the pivot to Home Delivery during COVID, as well as the creation of a Marketing function and a Revenue organization. In his new role as Chief Revenue Officer, Ben will continue to lead the revenue generating functions of Sales, Marketing, and Merchandising while helping to drive the company’s growth strategy and building greater cross-functional collaboration at the highest level.
Regina Picciano, who has joined Baldor as Chief People Officer. Regina has nearly two decades of HR experience – including employee and labor relations, engagement and culture strategies, talent acquisition, and policy and compliance management. Most recently, Regina was at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, one of the nation’s largest alcohol distributors, where she was VP of both the HR and Sales teams. She held previous roles at Guardian Life, Coca Cola, and Diageo. Regina has a master’s degree in human resource management from Fordham University. In addition to managing the HR function at Baldor, she will be placing a specific emphasis on supporting and strengthening the company culture, as well as enhancing the company’s relationship with the external community.
“I couldn’t be happier with the leadership team we’ve been building over the last 18 months,” said Baldor CEO TJ Murphy, who notes that it was important to him to elevate the emphasis on customers and employees to the top level of the company. “Since the moment he got to Baldor, Ben has demonstrated a commitment to our customers. He has driven our company forward again and again with care for the customer at the center of everything he does. This promotion is a natural next step for him. And while Regina comes from outside, her experience at Southern Glazer’s, a beverage distributor to hospitality, is incredibly relevant to us, and she’s demonstrated throughout her career an employee-first mindset. These two hires, in collaboration with our incredible existing team, will help us define the future of Baldor and take advantage of opportunities that lie before us, while keeping us committed to our core values.”
“Over my eleven years at Baldor, I’ve gained a deep understanding of our business, our vendors, and the incredible customers that contribute daily to our success,” said Benjamin Walker. “As Chief Revenue Officer, my goal is to continue to lead us in a culture of radical hospitality, turning the tables on our customers to ensure their success by providing the best products and best service. We will sharpen our existing offerings and continue to differentiate into new solutions, while also expanding the markets we serve.”
“What drew me to Baldor was the commitment to its employees,” said Chief People Officer Regina Picciano. “The culture here is one of high engagement, and that passion is palpable as you walk around the building. I’m excited to collaborate with TJ and the entire leadership team to establish a people strategy that fosters the growth of both the business and our people.”
These two strategic additions to Baldor’s leadership team reaffirm the distributor’s unwavering commitment to operational excellence and industry innovation as the company continues to grow their geographic reach and impact.
For more information, including current job opportunities, visit: http://www.baldorfood.com
About Baldor Specialty Foods
Baldor Specialty Foods is one of the largest distributors of premium fresh produce, specialty foods, dairy, meat and fish in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Beginning as Balducci’s fruit stand in Greenwich Village in 1946, Baldor maintains its original commitment to freshness, flavor, quality and service. Baldor Specialty Foods now services more than 13,000 food service, retail and corporate accounts from Portland, ME to Richmond, VA, and offers over 6,000 food items. The company’s mission is to deliver quality ingredients, innovative solutions and seamless experiences that ensure the success of its partners.
To learn more, go to www.baldorfood.com.