Ruiz Food Products, Inc., the largest frozen Mexican food manufacturer in the United States, has named Stephanie Wilkes, who has more than 25 years of consumer food industry management and board experience, as chair of the company’s board of directors.

Dan Antonelli who was Ruiz Foods CEO from 2021 to 2024 and board executive chair the past two years, will continue to serve as a board member. The change was effective September 29. 

“We are fortunate to have Stephanie’s wealth of consumer foods experience and vision in this board leadership role as we continue on our path to becoming the nation’s best frozen food company in the eyes of our team members, suppliers, customers, and consumers,” said Kimberli Carroll, Ruiz Foods CEO. “We are deeply grateful to Dan for his leadership which has already helped us make great strides in our transformation as a top performing company.” 

Wilkes, who was elected to the Ruiz Foods Board in 2021, said she is deeply honored to assume the board chair role.
 
“I’m passionate about the energy and growth I’ve seen in my four years as a Ruiz Foods’ director and I’m excited about this great company’s future,” Wilkes said. “It’s a privilege to be part of guiding this family-owned business as it pursues opportunity and innovation in its seventh decade.”

Over her long career in the consumer-packaged goods industry, Wilkes has worked with well-known brands like Trident, Sour Patch Kids, Halls, Oreo and Jacobs Coffee.  During her tenure at Kraft/Mondelez, she led global, functional and regional teams through challenging yet successful reorganizations and business turnarounds. She was recognized for leading complex teams, building action plans and driving marketing and innovation. 

In addition to her board service with Ruiz Foods, she has been a director for Rogers Sugar since 2019, Sheetz Inc. since 2018, and Kawartha Dairy since 2024. Wilkes holds a BESc in Engineering Science and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario and is a trained executive coach through the Columbia University Coaching Certification Program.  

About Ruiz Food Products, Inc.
Ruiz Foods Products, Inc. is a privately-owned corporation co-founded by Fred Ruiz and his father, Louis, in 1964. Kim Ruiz Beck, the elder daughter of Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus Fred Ruiz, is a member of the board of directors. Ruiz Foods is dedicated to premium quality, authentically prepared frozen foods selling to all channels of distribution: retail, convenience store, clubs, vending, industrial, and food service. Ruiz Foods’ El Monterey brand is the No. 1 selling frozen Mexican food in the United States and Tornados, the company’s snack brand, is a leader on the convenience store roller grill. Headquartered in Frisco, Texas, Ruiz Foods employs more than 3,900 Team Members and has four manufacturing facilities located in California, Texas and South Carolina.