Schwan’s Company CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios announced today the promotion of Julie Francis to the newly created position of chief operating officer and the addition of Brian Schiegg as president of Schwan’s Consumer Brands, Inc.

Schwan’s Consumer Brands, Inc. — a subsidiary of Schwan’s Company that offers trusted retail brands throughout the frozen-food category — has pushed forward in its innovation efforts and will launch five new products under the Red Baron, Freschetta, Edwards and Pagoda brands by October 2020.

The new facility will result in up to 225 new, full-time jobs by 2023 in Salina and include automated state-of-the-art pizza-production lines, shipping and receiving docks, and office space. The company already employs 1,125 people at its current 550,000-square-foot production facility and distribution center in Salina. Additional projects are planned for the Salina site over the next several years as Schwan’s plans for continued growth in the company’s pizza business, representing an investment of several hundred million dollars in total.