Michigan-based foodservice management company Creative Dining Services (CDS) has promoted Susan Golder to VP of marketing and business development, and Jane Newton to associate VP of people services, both effective July 1. Golder was previously director of marketing at CDS, while Newton was director of people services. 

Sysco announced today that Tim Ørting will join the company as the executive vice president & president, foodservice operations – international, effective January 4, 2021. In this newly-created role, Ørting will lead Sysco’s international operations in Canada, Europe, The Bahamas and Latin America, as well as the company’s International Food Group business. Based in Sysco’s London office, he will oversee the development and execution of key strategies for growth in these important geographies.

By any measure, 2020 has been a historically difficult year for foodservice distributors. COVID-19 wiped out business for foundational customers like restaurants, hotels, caterers, stadiums, schools and other volume foodservice clients starting in March, and even today, as states attempt to re-open amid the uncertainty of where the pandemic is heading, an argument could be made that foodservice distributors have had to continuously pivot more than any other cold chain segment to stay afloat.

On our latest From the Cold Corner Podcast, I sit down with Neil Russell, VP of corporate affairs at Sysco, for details about the company’s constantly evolving strategies during the pandemic. 

Jonathan Muhtar was appointed senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Red Robin Gourmet, meanwhile Bradley Brookshire, third generation of the Brookshire family, was elected to serve as chairman and CEO.