Golden State Foods (GSF), one of the largest diversified food processors and distributors in the United States, recently awarded its Whitewater, Wis. team the 2015 Chairman's Challenge award for outstanding facility achievement in safety, customer service, employee satisfaction, plant efficiencies, profitability and innovation. Recognized as GSF's highest internal honor, the annual award was presented to the team at Golden State Foods' annual Partners' Meeting.

The Whitewater team was recognized for demonstrating outstanding performance in a number of significant areas, including:

• Improved sustainable efforts and practices across a number of areas
• Enhanced structure of the facility by hiring associates as needed to meet the needs of their facility's strategy
• Setting a standard for associate well-being, recognition, and work/life balance
• Increased EBITDA over 2015 plan
• Improved KPI's and quality scores year-over-year
• Completed 2015 with an excellent safety record
• Completed WMF (Warehouse Management System) implementation, and assisted other facilities in completing theirs as well
• Significant participation and involvement in the GSF Foundation

"Our Whitewater facility is a great example of being faced with challenges, and turning them in to opportunities for the company," said Mark Wetterau, chairman and chief executive officer, Golden State Foods. "The Chairman's Challenge award is the gold standard for excellence, and the Whitewater team has set the precedent for next year's recipient."

In addition to winning the Chairman's Challenge award, the Whitewater facility was also awarded the "Best in Class Distribution" award. The award honors the achievements of three specific GSF business categories, Quality Custom Distribution, Food Processing and GSF Distribution. 

"The Whitewater team had a great year in 2015, but it still came with many obstacles that we were able to meet and defeat," said Gus Golembiewski, general manager at Golden State Foods in Whitewater. "We were the first distribution center within Golden State Foods to have full traceability, experienced a significant volume lift in the fourth quarter, and the warehouse team was able to meet all of the demands from the customer.  And finally, we always battle extreme weather conditions, and our transportation associates always ensured that our product was delivered. Without these challenges and opportunities, Whitewater wouldn't have been able to shine, and I'm so proud to be a part of such a great team."

The award was announced on February 16 at the 2015 Partners' Meeting held in Pasadena, California, and was accepted by Gus Golembiewski on behalf of the entire Whitewater team.

Source: Golden State Foods