Baking & Snack - February 2022 - 24

BAKING HALL OF FAME
THE GLOBAL
Baking Partner
T
Think big. Dream bigger. To achieve those dreams in
the baking industry, a trailblazer needs to cultivate a
forward-thinking vision, build a winning organization
around it and then make an unwavering commitment to
create something that few ever imagined.
For Kenneth R. Newsome, that vision began at the
University of Virginia where his modest goal was to operate
a manufacturing company within the state - and
the former four-year college football player never took
his eyes off the ball.
Now, decades later, the Baking Hall of Fame is recognizing
Mr. Newsome, chief executive officer of the
Markel Food Group, for creating the world's largest
manufacturer of wholesale bread and bun making
equipment and a leading supplier of industrial baking
equipment across the globe.
Mr. Newsome began building the Richmond, Va.,
company in 1996 when he and a group of investors acquired
AMF Bakery Systems, a producer of bread and
bun systems. AMF then acquired Campbell Systems,
ETMW Enterprises, Pulver and Convey Systems, which
added everything from mixing to basket handling.
In 2005, Mr. Newsome partnered with Markel
Ventures, a private investment firm that would provide
the financial resources to transform the business into a
global baking equipment powerhouse at a time when the
equipment market was highly diversified.
After buying Shick Tube-Veyor Asia Pacific that
eventually created a major strategic foothold in China,
Markel acquired Solbern, a food equipment company,
and BakeTech with its conveyorized ovens and proofer
technology. Later, it bought Tromp Bakery Equipment,
24 Baking & Snack February 2022 / www.bakingbusiness.com
Ken Newsome built a leading baking equipment company that
supplies all types of wholesale bakeries in all parts of the world.
by Dan Malovany
DenBoer and Vanderpol that provide systems for making
European breads, pastries, waffles, pizzas and other
baked goods. Meanwhile, the purchase of Reading
Bakery Systems added a global vendor for cookies,
crackers and baked snacks. By 2015, Mr. Newsome's vision
of a multinational company that serves all segments
of the baking industry was well on its way to taking
shape and creating synergies among the different business
units to provide turnkey services to the industry.
Robb MacKie, president and CEO of the American
Bakers Association, noted that Mr. Newsome is also
committed to building a stronger baking industry and
has served on the boards of ABA, American Institute of
Baking and BEMA, eventually becoming BEMA's chairman.
He's long supported the Allied Trades of the Baking
Industry, the Grain Foods Foundation, the American
Bakers PAC and other industry initiatives.
" He is famously quoted, during some trying times for
the industry, 'If it's good for bakers and the baking industry,
it is good for us as suppliers,' " Mr. MacKie noted
in a recommendation letter.
Additionally, Mr. Newsome's nomination pointed out
AMF's extensive commitment to community service activities.
It's all part of a broader vision of corporate responsibility
that he penned back in 1988.
" I know that I want to build a company that is special
- special in the way it treats its employees, special in the
way it treats its customers, special in the way it works to
improve its community, special in the way it competes in
the marketplace, " Mr. Newsome wrote. " It will be loved
by those who are a part of it and respected by those who
compete against it. "
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Baking & Snack - February 2022

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