Baking & Snack - February 2016 - 36

2016 BAKING HALL OF FAME

Centered on

Innovation
Renowned for his marketing expertise, Pat Callaghan also made
his mark dedicated to the tradition of excellence in baking.
by Dan Malovany
For Patrick J. Callaghan, the best career
advice came from his father: "Make sure
you are sharing your success with others
and taking responsibility for your failures yourself."
Throughout his 30-plus years at Pepperidge Farm, Mr. Callaghan lived by
those words as he rose through the ranks and
eventually became president of the Norwalk,
CT-based company from 2006 to 2012. During that
time, Pepperidge Farm experienced one of its strongest
periods of uninterrupted top-line, bottom-line and market share growth, according to Denise Morrison, CEO
of Campbell Soup, parent of the baking company. "He
inspired his team to deliver consistently strong business
results, driven by a continuous stream of consumerfocused innovation," she noted in a letter of recommendation for Mr. Callaghan's induction into the 2016
Baking Hall of Fame.
Innovation has always been the muse of inspiration for Mr. Callaghan, who is widely admired within
Pepperidge Farm and throughout the baking industry
for his marketing prowess. He was always fond of citing
the bakery's founder, Margaret Rudkin, who previously
was inducted into the Baking Hall of Fame, because of
her commitment to quality and her challenge to constantly ask, "What's next for Pepperidge Farm?"
"Under his leadership, Pepperidge Farm introduced
a tantalizing array of baked goods, including Milano
Melts, Milano Slices, Baked Naturals Snack Crackers,
Cracker Chips and Deli Flats thin rolls; extended the
high-growth Goldfish brand to sweet treats and to the
bread aisle; and undertook construction of a $30 million innovation center," Ms. Morrison noted. That center was eventually named after Mr. Callaghan.

36 Baking & Snack February 2016 / www.bakingandsnack.com

During his tenure as president of Pepperidge
Farm, the company built its state-of-the-art bakery in
Bloomfield, CT, and modernized its other bakeries. In
addition, the business was voted to the top spot of "best
places to work in Connecticut."
Mr. Callaghan dedicated his career to creating not only
a better Pepperidge Farm but also a stronger baking industry, according to Chris Foley, senior vice-president and
general manager of fresh and frozen bakery at Pepperidge
Farm, in nominating him to the Baking Hall of Fame.
During the low-carb era, for example, Mr. Callaghan
was integral in co-founding the Grain Foods Foundation
in 2004 and later arranging for the New York Stock
Exchange to recognize the foundation on the 10th anniversary of the enrichment of flour with folic acid. He
was appointed an ex-officio member of the board of
trustees for the foundation.
In support of the baking industry, he served as
ABA chairman in 2001-02 and on the association's
board of directors for 17 years. He also served on the
boards of AIB International and the Biscuit & Cracker
Manufacturers' Association.
In one of the many recommendation letters supporting his nomination, Douglas Conant, former CEO of
Campbell Soup, called Mr. Callaghan "an exceptional
human being."
"His dogged determination to perform and see his
company succeed has always been complemented by his
innate decency and his desire to see those around him -
both within his company and in the industry as a whole
- reach their full potential," Mr. Conant stated. "Bottom
line, the baking industry and our company are so much
better off as a result of Pat's presence. He is a winner, and
we have been quite lucky to have him on our team."
Those are words that would make any father proud.

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Baking & Snack - February 2016

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