HOUSTON, Jan. 10, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- SYSCO Corporation (NYSE:SYY), North America's largest foodservice marketer and distributor, announced today that Kevin A. Berg has been named president and chief executive officer of Sysco Asian Foods, Inc., a SYSCO subsidiary with locations in St. Paul, MN and Hampshire, IL. Mr. Berg has served most recently as executive vice president for that company and will assume his new position effective immediately. He succeeds Frank J. Hamel, the founder of Asian Foods, who is retiring.
Mr. Berg, 48, joined Asian Foods in 1999 as vice president of strategic initiatives and general counsel and was promoted to vice president and chief operating officer in 2001. SYSCO acquired the company in 2002, and in 2003 he was named executive vice president and chief operating officer. Prior to joining Asian Foods, Mr. Berg served as an attorney for the St. Paul-based law firm of Briggs and Morgan, P.A., where he was named a partner in 1989.
Mr. Berg earned a bachelor of arts degree in history in 1980 from Northwestern University, located in Evanston, IL. In 1983, he was awarded a juris doctor (JD) degree from the University of Minnesota, in St. Paul. He and his wife, Jennifer, reside in St. Paul with their three children.
"We are very grateful to Frank Hamel for having led the company since it was acquired by SYSCO in 2002 and for his many valuable contributions. We wish him the best for his retirement," said Richard J. Schnieders, chairman, CEO and president of SYSCO Corporation. "Looking forward, we are pleased to welcome Kevin whose expertise and experience will be instrumental as we continue to market our unique product lines through Asian Foods."
Asian Foods Inc. was founded in 1985 and operates from two locations, St. Paul, MN, and Hampshire, IL. The company supplies a broad range of products to customers throughout the Upper Midwest, including its exclusive distribution of the Ji Hao -- which translates to "Best of the Best" -- brand.
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 the fiscal year 2006 that ended July 1, 2006, the company generated $32.6 billion in sales. For more information about SYSCO visit the company's Internet home page at www.sysco.com.
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Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made herein are forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. They include statements regarding anticipated future executive officer appointments. These statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on management's current expectations and estimates; actual future executive officer appointments will be made based on management's and the Board's evaluation of all relevant information at that time, and statements made in this press release should not be taken as a guarantee as to any future action by management or the Board.