HOUSTON, May 2, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- SYSCO Corporation (NYSE:SYY), North America's largest foodservice marketer and distributor, announced today that Joel R. TePastte will retire as president and chief executive officer of Sysco Food Services of Pittsburgh, Inc., a SYSCO broadline distribution subsidiary located in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Leonard T. Petrancosta, who is currently executive vice president of that company, will become president and CEO. Both moves are effective July 1, 2008.
Mr. TePastte has been involved in the foodservice industry throughout his entire career. Following his graduation in 1972 from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan with a B.S. degree in economics, he joined the Grand Rapids operation as a marketing associate in 1973. He advanced to district sales manager in 1978, then general sales manager in 1983. He was named vice president of sales in 1985 and promoted to senior vice president in 1988. He has held the position of president of the organization since 1999.
Mr. TePastte is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He and his wife, Rosemarie, have two children and will reside in Spring Lake, Michigan.
Mr. Petrancosta owned and operated his own independent restaurant for 14 years before joining Sysco Food Services of Pittsburgh in 1992 as a marketing associate. He progressed to district sales manager in 1994, regional sales manager in 1996 and the following year he was promoted to director of territory sales. Mr. Petrancosta was named vice president of territory sales in 1998, advanced to vice president of sales in 1999 and in 2000 he was promoted to senior vice president. He has been in his current position as executive vice president since 2004.
Mr. Petrancosta is a 1977 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics. He and his wife, Susan, have three children and reside in Pittsburgh.
Sysco Food Services of Pittsburgh, Inc., provides products and services to foodservice operations including restaurants, healthcare and educational institutions, lodging establishments, business and industry locations, multi-unit chain accounts and other foodservice operations in western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia.
SYSCO is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers that prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. For the fiscal year 2007, the company generated $35.0 billion in sales. For more information about SYSCO visit www.sysco.com.
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