Maine to Virginia, opening regional distribution centers in Boston, the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and in Philadelphia. He expanded the company’s product catalogue beyond produce to include specialty, dairy and meat; he also led the acquisition of Pierless Fish. He spearheaded the development of Fresh Cuts, Baldor's processed fruit and vegetable operation, which has now grown to employ over 300 workers. Muzyk also played a crucial part in various significant initiatives, including the company's involvement in aiding the city's recovery after the tragic events of 9/11, delivering essential food supplies during the NYC blackout, giving aid during Superstorm Sandy, and keeping the Baldor trucks running when the company pivoted to home delivery during the Covid 19 lockdown. Today Baldor sells more than 5,000 SKUs, and services more than 400 routes for 12,000-plus customers. Speaking on his career, Muzyk stated, “I don’t reflect much on the past, because I’ve always been so focused on the future, but looking back, I do see my fingerprint all over Baldor, and I’m proud of what we’ve done. In the last few years of his life, Kevin and I spoke often about the future of the company, and I committed to doing everything I could to make Baldor and TJ successful. I think I’ve lived up to that promise. I’m grateful for the trust and support I received from the team and our customers to enable my success.” Commenting on Muzyk's retirement, TJ said, "I’ve known Michael most of my life, and I can say that his dedication to Baldor over the years has been astounding. His career here has been defined by his huge heart and his unwavering commitment to our
As always, Baldor remains committed to sourcing the highest quality food, delivering exceptional service, expanding its coverage areas, and exploring new opportunities for growth. The company will continue to build upon its market presence, utilizing the foundation laid by Muzyk's years of dedicated service. Between now and end of year, Muzyk will work closely with Murphy to ensure a smooth transition and the continuation of the excellence Baldor customers have come to rely on. Muzyk will focus on knowledge transfer and ensuring continuity for the team. He will also participate in the hiring process for new leaders, providing his expertise to facilitate a fluid succession process. Moving forward, TJ will continue to guide the strategic vision of the company along its current growth trajectory. He and Michael have been collaborating for more than a year to plan for succession, and right away they decided that they would not appoint another president. “I couldn’t expect anyone to fill Michael’s shoes,” said Murphy. “He’s one of one.” But they did decide that they needed to bolster the leadership team with subject- matter executives from larger companies who could help Baldor continue to scale up. So, in the past 18 months, they have added eight people to the VP/SVP level, and they will continue to hire a few key roles to the C-suite in coming months. customers, vendors, and employees. He’s touched thousands of lives and careers, including my own. I’m personally so grateful for his many contributions and his help transitioning this company from my father to me, and I wish him the best on a well- deserved retirement."
HOSPITALITY NEWS MAY | Page 29
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