HOUSTON, Jan. 10, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- SYSCO Corporation (NYSE:SYY), North America's largest foodservice marketer and distributor, announced today that James M. Danahy has been named senior vice president of operations, Northeast Region. Mr. Danahy, who currently is president and chief executive officer of Sysco Food Services of Connecticut, Inc., a SYSCO subsidiary located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, will assume his new responsibilities January 16, 2006. SYSCO's Northeast Region includes 14 companies in seven states, including Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Mr. Danahy succeeds William Holden, who has served as senior vice president, Northeast Region since 2002 and will be retiring from the company after a distinguished 26-year career.
Mr. Danahy, 52, has spent his entire career at SYSCO. Following his graduation from Northeastern University in Boston in 1976 with a bachelor of science degree, he joined SYSCO's subsidiary located in Norton, Massachusetts. After advancing through various positions, he was promoted to director of merchandising in 1988 and vice president of merchandising in 1990. When SYSCO opened its Connecticut subsidiary in 1994, he was named president and chief operating officer of that company and in 1997 expanded his responsibilities as chief executive officer of that company. He and his wife Maryjane have a son and a daughter and reside in Glastonbury, Connecticut.
Mr. Holden began his career at SYSCO's Miami, Florida subsidiary in 1980 as general manager of merchandising. The following year he transferred to the Norton operation as director of marketing and he was promoted to vice president of marketing in 1983. He advanced to executive vice president in 1984, was named president and chief operating officer in 1996 and became president and chief executive officer of that company in 1997. Mr. Holden also has served on SYSCO's Directors' Council and Operations Council during his tenure with the company. He and his wife Bea have an adult daughter and reside in Falmouth, Massachusetts.
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. SYSCO's operations, supported by 47,500 associates, are located throughout the United States and Canada and include broadline companies, specialty produce and custom-cut meat operations, Asian cuisine foodservice distributors, hotel supply operations, and chain restaurant distribution subsidiaries that serve both domestic and international locations. For more information about SYSCO visit the company's Internet home page at www.sysco.com.
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