Mike has over four decades of senior management and leadership experience in branded food companies and retail grocery, spanning entrepreneurial initiatives to large national brands. He led the Food & Beverage practice at FocalPoint Partners, a premiere Los Angeles-based middle market investment banking firm that provides advisory for a broad range of private equity and family-owned companies seeking growth or transition.

Prior to joining FocalPoint, Mike served as Senior Principal of Global Growth and Business Development at Whole Foods Market, where he advised the Executive “E” Team, Regions and Internal Procurement, as well as Merchandising teams on diverse business initiatives including investments, strategic partnerships, new ventures, WFM Exclusive Brand product development, sustainability initiatives, and operational improvements.

He served as a Director and President of Sales and Marketing of Townsends, a privately held, $500M, vertically integrated poultry processor. Recruited by lenders to join the Board and then to assume a leadership role, Mike led all sales, marketing, culinary, product development, and quality assurance teams.

Assisting the CEO in implementing the strategic sale process, Townsends implemented a successful U.S.C. §363 filing during a severely adverse commodities environment, culminating in a sale to two strategic buyers, returning substantial value to lenders.

Prior to Townsends, he served as Senior Vice President of Monterey Gourmet Foods (NASDAQ: PSTA) since December 2007 until its acquisition by Korea-based Pulmuone USA in February of 2010. He served on PSTA’s Board of Directors on the Audit Committee and the Strategic M&A Committee from 2000 to 2008. Responsibilities included leading strategy development, sales, marketing leadership, business and corporate development.

Mike served as Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and DSD of Wise Foods, Inc., a privately held $400m regional snack food company. He developed and executed core revitalization strategies, structured strategic joint ventures with Fortune 500 companies (ConAgra & P&G) and implemented several successful supply chain and new channel initiatives worth more than $150M in revenue.

Prior to joining Wise, Mike was President and Chief Executive Officer of The B. Manischewitz Company, LLC, a closely held manufacturer and world’s largest marketer of ethnic and kosher foods. He directed day to day operations and integrated acquisitions for the company, successfully leading the company to profitability.

From 1994 until its acquisition by Manischewitz in November of 2000, Mike was President and Chief Executive Officer of Guiltless Gourmet, Inc., an Austin, Texas based manufacturer and marketer of natural, healthy food products. Guiltless Gourmet’s baked tortilla chips pioneered healthier snack foods in the grocery industry.

In 1987, Mike founded Strategic Marketing Methods, a consulting firm providing marketing, business development and advisory services to CPG, grocery and foodservice clients. He held management positions with Carnation Company (Nestle S.A.), Lawry's Foods Inc., a division of Unilever U.S., and Prepared Products Co.

Mike earned his MBA in Marketing from The University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business and graduated from California State University at Los Angeles with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

Mike serves on numerous Food and FoodTech boards, serves as a Senior Advisor to Conscious Capitalism, an operating partner adviser for Graham Partners and is an Advocate for Atlanta-based OnBoard, advocating advancement of women in the boardroom and in the C-suite. He is plant-based, an avid runner, and enjoys cooking, reading and studying history. His greatest accomplishment is having two daughters and four granddaughters with his wife Lisa of 43 years.

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