YORK, Maine, May 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading specialty food, home goods and personal care producer Stonewall Kitchen is excited to announce the hiring of Carrie McDermott as its new Chief Executive Officer. McDermott is just the third CEO in the company’s 32-year history, taking over for John Stiker, who has been in the role since 2014. The company thanks Stiker for his hard work and dedication over the last eight years in building Stonewall Kitchen into the company it is today and wishes him the best in his retirement. Stiker will continue as a consultant to the business during his retirement.
Before joining Stonewall Kitchen, McDermott served as CEO of PetPeople, an independent retailer focused on high quality, natural pet food and supplies. Prior to that, McDermott was President of Sally Beauty, where she led an overall business transformation resulting in new product lines, a customer loyalty program, and a new ecommerce platform. She also served nine years in roles of increasing responsibility with Designer Shoe Warehouse, Inc., finishing as the Chief Operating Officer where she led the company’s operations, ecommerce, marketing, and customer experience.
“I have had the pleasure of working with John and the team at Stonewall Kitchen for the past few months,” commented McDermott. “They are a talented group of leaders who love the company, are passionate about the core values, and continue to deliver on the promise of superior quality food and home goods. Over the past eight years, John has led the company through a tremendous amount of growth and acquisitions, building what has become a family of brands. I’m excited to work with the entire team at Stonewall Kitchen to continue to deliver high quality products with a diverse offering of brands.”
In addition to McDermott’s hiring, Stonewall Kitchen is pleased to announce four internal C-suite promotions. Steve Barone, former Vice President of Manufacturing has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer; Corey Fogarty, former Vice President of Merchandising has been promoted to Chief Merchandising Officer; Kathy Gilbert, former Vice President of National Sales has been promoted to Chief Sales Officer; and Janine Somers, former Vice President of Marketing and Direct-to-Consumer Sales has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer.
“Stonewall Kitchen is in extremely good hands,” stated Stiker. “Carrie has spent a significant amount of time getting to know our team during this transition, and she’s proving to be a great fit. She brings an entire career’s worth of experience in consumer-packaged goods and retail to the company, with demonstrated success across multiple disciplines. Carrie also understands the importance of our unique culture here, which is something we strive for and take great pride in at Stonewall Kitchen.”
“I am also thrilled to see Steve, Corey, Kathy and Janine step into their new roles,” continued Stiker. “This is a group with over 60 combined years of Stonewall Kitchen experience, and they are a fundamental reason for the success of the company. Together with Carrie’s vision and experience, the team is well-equipped to lead Stonewall Kitchen to even further growth!”
About Stonewall Kitchen
Stonewall Kitchen is a leading specialty food, home goods and personal care producer headquartered in York, Maine. Founded in 1991 by partners Jonathan King and Jim Stott, the two established the Stonewall Kitchen brand by selling jams and jellies at local farmers’ markets with a flavorful line of distinctive and high-quality products. Over time, they expanded the brand to include sauces, condiments, crackers and baking mixes, always focusing on innovative product development, beautiful packaging, and exceptional guest service. Today, Stonewall Kitchen is the premier specialty food and home goods platform in North America, home to a family of premium quality brands including the flagship Stonewall Kitchen brand; the Michel Design Works brand of elegantly designed and crafted personal and home care products; the Vermont Coffee Company brand of high quality, non-GMO, certified organic coffee; the Urban Accents brand of globally-inspired spice mixes, seasonings, and sauces; the Village Candle brand of fragranced candles, gifts and accessories; the Tillen Farms brand of pickled vegetables and cocktail cherries; the Napa Valley Naturals brand of olive oils, culinary oils, balsamic vinegars and wine vinegars; the Montebello brand of artisan organic pasta imported from Italy; the Vermont Village brand of organic apple sauce and apple cider vinegars; and the Legal Sea Foods brand of restaurant-quality seafood sauces and condiments. The company boasts distribution in more than 19,000 stores nationwide and internationally; a thriving catalog and online division; a café in York, Maine; and ten retail Company Stores throughout New England. As winners of 35 prestigious awards from the Specialty Food Association and the recipient of the coveted Outstanding Product Line honors three times, Stonewall Kitchen is proud to be one of the most awarded specialty food companies in the country.
For more information about Stonewall Kitchen, please visit: www.stonewallkitchen.com
Contact: Matthew Robertson
Phone: 207.351.2713
mrobertson@stonewallkitchen.com
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