HOUSTON, Aug. 4, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- SYSCO Corporation (NYSE:SYY) announced today that Diane Day Sanders, a 29-year SYSCO veteran and currently senior vice president and group president of communications / collaboration for the company's strategic development group, will retire from the company effective September 1, 2006.
Richard J. Schnieders, SYSCO's chairman, chief executive officer and president, said, "Diane has left an indelible impact upon SYSCO throughout her 29-year career. She has mentored many of our associates and has been a role model in both our company and our community. We are thankful for her many years of service and wish her the best as she enjoys her retirement."
Ms. Sanders, 56, began her SYSCO career in 1977 and has served as a corporate officer of the company for 18 years. She first joined SYSCO's corporate office as a staff auditor in the operations review department. In 1982 she progressed to director of that department and in 1988 assumed the added role of assistant controller. Ms. Sanders was promoted to vice president and treasurer of SYSCO Corporation in 1994 and in 2004 advanced to senior vice president, finance and treasurer. In November 2005 she assumed her current responsibilities.
In addition to her duties at SYSCO, Ms. Sanders also is an active member of the Women's Foodservice Forum and the National Association of Corporate Treasurers. In June of 2006 she was honored at the 2006 Texas Diversity and Leadership Conference and received their inaugural Diversity FIRST award in recognition for her role as a pioneer for women in leadership in the foodservice industry. She most recently has served as a member of the Board of the Greater Houston Chapter of the American Red Cross and of the Steering Committee for the Executive Women's Partnership within the Greater Houston Partnership. Prior to joining SYSCO Corporation, Ms. Sanders was with Touche Ross & Co. (now Deloitte and Touche USA, LLP) in Houston from 1974-77.
A native of Boerne, Texas, Ms. Sanders is a certified public accountant and a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University, located in Nacogdoches, Texas, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting in 1973. She and her husband Tom have one daughter, and they currently reside in Houston. They will retire to Montana in the near future.
SYSCO is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. For calendar year 2005 the company generated $31.4 billion in sales. For more information about SYSCO visit the company's Internet home page at www.sysco.com.
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