Dallas-based Dean Foods promotes Joseph Scalzo to chief operating officer

by PegNews wire

DALLAS — Dallas-based Dean Foods announced the promotion of Joseph Scalzo to the new position of Dean Foods chief operating officer, effective November 1. Scalzo is currently president and CEO of Dean Foods' WhiteWave-Morningstar group. In his new role, Scalzo, 51, will oversee all of Dean Foods operating businesses, including Fresh Dairy Direct, WhiteWave, Morningstar, and Alpro, as well as key strategic functions including worldwide supply chain, research & development, and innovation.

Engles will continue to lead Dean Foods' strategic activities and focus on the external environment, including the financial community and managing the ever-changing public policy and political environment.

Scalzo's immediate focus will be leading and coordinating the organizational transformation of Dean Foods -- both business unit and functional -- to accelerate Dean Foods' progress.

Scalzo's track record of successful transformation spans numerous companies including Gillette's Global Personal Care Division and WhiteWave Foods-Morningstar. At WhiteWave Foods, he transformed three separate businesses into a single winning company which involved implementing SAP, moving from a brokered sales force to a stronger, in-house sales team, consolidating manufacturing from a host of co-packers to five state-of-the-art in-house facilities, and recruiting and developing world-class talent.

With Scalzo's promotion, Blaine McPeak, 43, president Horizon and Silk, is being promoted to president, WhiteWave Foods in Broomfield, Colorado. Blaine will lead Horizon, Silk Soymilk, International Delight, and LAND O' LAKES cultured and liquid dairy products. This includes overseeing all functions, including marketing, research and development, supply chain, finance, and sales.

"We look forward to Blaine's continued contributions to WhiteWave," said Scalzo. "His ability to lead organizations through evolution and growth helped him deliver strong and consistent results at WhiteWave and throughout his career." Added Scalzo, "I am very pleased Blaine will be leading this business and look forward to seeing even greater levels of performance from an executive of Blaine's caliber."

McPeak joined Dean Foods' WhiteWave Division in 2007 as president, Horizon, and has significantly improved its business performance. In 2008, McPeak added the Silk Soymilk business to his leadership portfolio and has overseen a strategic repositioning of the brand and focused new product pipeline.

Source: Dean Foods