Milling & Baking News - May 26, 2015 - 31

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Former Darden executive to
president of Panera Bread
ST. LOUIS - Drew Madsen, former
president and chief operating officer
of Darden Restaurants Inc., has been
named president of Panera Bread Co.
He will report to Ron Shaich, chairman and chief executive officer.
Mr. Madsen will oversee the
core cafe business, while Mr.
Shaich will focus on strategy,
growth initiatives and innovation across the company.
Panera has been without a
president since Bill Moreton Madsen
transitioned out of the position
and into the role of executive vicechairman in 2013.
Mr. Madsen was president and c.o.o.
of Darden Restaurants Inc., the world's
largest full-service restaurant company, from 2005 to 2013. During his nine
years in that position, the casual-dining
company's number of restaurants grew
by 61%, sales grew 81% and earnings
per share doubled, leading to a total
shareholder return of 110%.
He earlier was president of Darden's
Olive Garden chain and was Olive

Garden's executive vice-president of
marketing prior to that. Before that, he
was president of International Masters
Publishers and vice-president/general
manager of James River Corp. He began
his career at General Mills, where
he spent 12 years, progressing
from marketing assistant to vicepresident of marketing.
He received his bachelor's
degree from DePauw University and his master's degree in
business administration from
the Stephen M. Ross School of
Business at the University of Michigan.
In addition, Ken Koziol joined
Panera as executive vice-president
on April 27. Mr. Koziol will oversee a
range of cafe support functions.
Mr. Koziol previously was with McDonald's, where he was executive vicepresident and worldwide chief restaurant officer. Before that, he led McDonald's corporate innovation function.
While at McDonald's, he also was vicepresident of worldwide restaurant innovation; vice-president of worldwide

quality assurance; and senior director
of U.S. supply chain management.
Mr. Koziol received his bachelor's
degree from Northeastern Illinois
University and his master's degree in
business administration from Northern Illinois University.
"We are excited to welcome Drew and
Ken to Panera, rounding out the strongest senior leadership team we've ever
had," Mr. Shaich said. "This is a pivotal
time for Panera as we continue to make
progress on initiatives to make Panera
a better competitive alternative with
expanded growth opportunities. Both
Drew and Ken are talented and accomplished executives who will augment our
organizational capabilities as we work to
improve the guest experience through
Panera 2.0 (inclusive of digital access and
improved operational capabilities); drive
consumer excitement through innovation in food, marketing and store design;
and build capabilities to grow in adjacent
businesses, including catering, delivery and consumer products. Given the
strength of our plan and our team's ability to execute that plan, I am evermore
confident we will achieve our mission of
positioning Panera for significant earnings growth for years to come." MBN

Steve Cooper joins Schwebel
Baking as chief operating officer
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO - Steve Cooper
has joined Schwebel Baking Co. as chief
operating officer. Mr. Cooper most recently was general manager at J&J Snack
Foods, and earlier was senior vice-president at Hostess Brands.
"We look forward to strengthening our
team with Steve on board, who will bring
his talents, energy and leadership to the
next phase of the company's growth," said
Paul Schwebel, president. "Steve will help

Schwebel's further penetrate our markets
and expand our product offerings to appeal to a broader base of consumers."
Mr. Cooper said he is looking forward
to his new position at the family bakery.
"Schwebel's is a dynamic and highly
successful company," he said. "I'm pleased
to join an organization that has established
itself as a premiere regional market share
leader with top-selling brands and an extremely loyal customer base. For over a

William Fife, longtime A.S.B. and
B.C.C. member, dies
SCHAUMBURG, ILL. - William H. Fife
Jr., former chairman of the American Society of Baking's Exposition Booth Committee and a longtime member of the
Bakers Courtesy Club of Chicago, died
May 7. He was 87 years old.
Mr. Fife began his career in the baking
and food service industries in 1954, joining
the advertising department of Ekco/Glaco,
a baking pan company. Seven years later, in
1961, he co-founded an advertising agency,
Mills, Fife, MacDonald in Des Plaines, Ill.
bakingbusiness.com / world-grain.com

In 1967 he bought out his two partners and
became the sole owner of the agency. He
led the business for 22 years, eventually
closing it in the late 1980s. In 1991, Mr. Fife,
along with his wife Bette, founded Creative
Marketing Concepts, an advertising agency
whose clients include several baking equipment and ingredient suppliers.
Mr. Fife was a longtime member of the
American Society of Baking, serving as
chairman of the Exposition Committee and
as a member of the Scientific Committee. He

century, Schwebel's has built a reputation
any company would be proud of."
Schwebel Baking Co., founded in 1906
in the kitchen of Joseph and Dora Schwebel, is one of the largest family-owned,
independent baking companies in the
United States, producing a variety of fresh
bread, buns and rolls under the Schwebel's, 'taliano, Millbrook, Country Hearth,
Roman Meal, Sun-Maid Raisin, and Cinnabon brand names. The company operates 4 bakeries and 35 distribution centers.
Schwebel's distributes its products in
Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky. MBN
also was a member of the Bakers Courtesy
Club for nearly 50 years, serving as president for two years and secretary/treasurer
for six years.
He received the 2008-09 Robert A. Fischer Distinguished Service Award from the
A.S.B. The award recognizes a member of
the A.S.B. that has exemplified the meaning
of leadership and service to the association.
He was preceded in death by wife, Bette. Survivors include three sons, Michael
(Catherine Curran) Fife, Greg (Diane) Fife,
and Brian (Violetta) Fife; three daughters,
Patricia (Dale) Ferguson, Marybeth (John)
Bank, and Elise Fife; seven grandchildren
and three great-grandchildren. MBN
Milling & Baking News

May 26, 2015 / 31

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Milling & Baking News - May 26, 2015

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