Hormel Foods Corporation announced that Jeff Frank, president of MegaMex Foods (Orange, Calif.), has been named vice president of Foodservice marketing at the company's global headquarters (Austin, Minn.). Frank replaces David Weber, who was recently promoted to vice president of Foodservice sales.

Ryan Michaelis, vice president of sales and marketing at MegaMex Foods, has been named president of MegaMex Foods. Michaelis will report to the MegaMex Foods Board of Managers.

"Jeff is an innovative leader, who has brought great success and growth to the company's MegaMex Foods business over the last several years," said Jim Snee, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Hormel Foods. "Jeff brings unique food industry expertise, both from MegaMex and Hormel Foods, and will certainly bring a new perspective on multicultural products, innovation and brand building to the Foodservice business."

"Ryan has worked side-by-side with Jeff to build the MegaMex business, including its well-known array of brands from Wholly Guacamole dips to Herdez products," said Steve Binder, executive vice president and president, Hormel Business Units. "His experience and proven track record of success make him the perfect fit for this role. We look forward to his continued leadership and expertise."

"We would like to thank Jeff for his dedication and focus on growth for our unparalleled portfolio of authentic brands," said Enrique Hernández-Pons Torres, chairman, Board of Managers, MegaMex Foods. "We are certainly pleased to see Ryan take on new responsibilities as he leads our efforts to grow and expand our portfolio in the coming months and years."

MegaMex Foods is a joint venture between Hormel Foods and Herdez del Fuerte and helps to bring authentic Mexican flavors to every table with growing brands like Wholly Guacamole dips, Herdez products and CHI-CHI's products.

The Foodservice division at Hormel Foods is focused on strategic growth for meal occasions outside of the home and in channels like restaurants, hotels, hospitals and colleges and universities. The Foodservice division reports into the Refrigerated Foods segment at Hormel Foods.

Frank began his career with Hormel Foods in 1998 as a meat products sales representative in San Francisco, Calif. A year later, he transferred to the world headquarters and steadily progressed to the position of senior product manager in 2003. In 2005, he advanced to the position of director of retail marketing at the company's former business in Los Angeles, Calif., and was promoted to vice president of retail marketing in 2007. He transitioned to MegaMex Foods in 2009 as the vice president of marketing, and assumed his current role in 2013.

Michaelis began his career with Hormel Foods in 1997 as a meat products sales representative in Denver, Colo. He held various meat products territory manger and account executive roles until being named the corporate category manager for deli in 2003. He assumed the position of customer regional manager for the Kroger business in 2005, and the customer business manager for Walmart prepared foods sales in 2007. Michaels returned to the world headquarters in 2009 as the corporate manager of category sales for Grocery Products, and moved to the Bentonville (Ark.) Sales Office as the director of Walmart and Sam's Club Grocery Products sales in 2013. He assumed his current role in 2015.

Source: Hormel Foods Corp.