HOUSTON, Nov. 30, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- SYSCO Corporation (NYSE:SYY), North America's largest foodservice marketer and distributor, announced today that Catherine Kayser has been promoted to president and chief executive officer of Sysco Food Services of Seattle, Inc., a SYSCO subsidiary located in Kent, Washington. Ms. Kayser, who is currently executive vice president of the Seattle operation, will assume her new duties January 1, 2006. She succeeds current president and chief executive officer Robert M. Jenson, who will retire at the end of the calendar year following a distinguished 33-year career in the foodservice industry.
Ms. Kayser has been involved in the foodservice industry for nearly 25 years. She joined the Seattle operation in 1995 as territory program sales manager, progressed to director of program sales the following year, and in 1997 was named vice president of program sales. Ms. Kayser advanced to vice president of sales in 1999, was promoted to senior vice president in 2001 and the following year she was named to her current position. Ms. Kayser is a native of White Plains, N.Y., and resides in Seattle.
Mr. Jenson, 61, began his 27-year SYSCO career in 1978 as executive vice president of the company's Albuquerque, New Mexico subsidiary. In 1982 he relocated to SYSCO's Salt Lake City, Utah company as executive vice president and later that same year he progressed to president and chief executive officer of that company. Mr. Jenson was appointed to his current duties at the Seattle operation in 1995.
Mr. Jenson attended Fresno State University (Fresno, CA) and the University of Utah, located in his native Salt Lake City. He and his wife, Sarah, have two adult daughters and reside in Seattle.
Sysco Food Services of Seattle, Inc. markets and distributes a complete line of food and related products to restaurants, country clubs, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, business and industry locations, multi-unit chain accounts and other foodservice customers throughout the states of Washington and Alaska.
SYSCO is the largest foodservice marketing and distribution organization in North America, providing food and related products and services to approximately 390,000 restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other foodservice customers. The company generated sales of $30.3 billion for the fiscal year 2005 that ended July 2, 2005. SYSCO's operations are located throughout the United States and Canada and include broadline companies, specialty produce and custom-cut meat operations, Asian foodservice, hotel supply operations and chain restaurant distribution subsidiaries. For more information about SYSCO visit the company's Internet home page at www.sysco.com.