Litehouse's Frank announces retirement
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 7 years, 10 months AGO
(File photo/CAROLINE LOBSINGER) Litehouse President and CEO Jim Frank, left, talks to company employees, board members, and local officials at the February 2018 ribbon-cutting ceremony held to celebrate a $6.2 million expansion of its Sandpoint production facility. Frank announced his retirement from the company on Friday.
(File photo/MARY MALONE) Litehouse vice president and CFO Kelly Prior, pictured talking to Sandpoint High School teachers Friday during a Community Connections tour in 2016. Prior has been named interim president at the company with the retirement of Jim Frank.
SANDPOINT — Jim Frank is stepping down as president and CEO of Litehouse, Inc.
Frank’s retirement was announced in a press release by the company Friday. Kelly Prior, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will be stepping into the role of interim president while Litehouse begins a search for its next CEO
Frank joined Litehouse in 2006 as head of sales and marketing where his passions brought him to the role of president and CEO, Litehouse officials said in the press release. Since 2011, Frank led the organization with an overarching goal of having company success transcend beyond the business onto employee owners, their families and local communities. During his seven years as CEO, Frank led the company with fervor, leading the organization to phenomenal growth across its three channels of business; retail, foodservice and value-added, Litehouse officials said.
In the press release, the Litehouse board of directors thanked Frank for the dedication, passion, enthusiasm and leadership he brought to Litehouse. His impact and contributions have been instrumental to the company’s success, board members said.
Frank thanked the company and its employee owners for the opportunity to serve as Litehouse president and CEO.
“I am exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to lead such an amazing organization and I want to thank all of the employee owners for their dedication in helping to make Litehouse the company it is today,” Frank said. “I am excited to watch as Litehouse continues to grow into one of the most trusted names in the (consumer packaged goods) industry.”
As Litehouse looks to fill the role of CEO, company officials said the Sandpoint-based firm will maintain its focus on continuing to be a leader in the ever evolving CPG space; bringing innovative products, quality excellence and best-in-class service to its business partners and customers. In addition, Litehouse officials said the company will continue to make strategic investments to support the needs of customers across all of its business channels, positioning itself for continued future growth.
The company is the top refrigerated salad dressing brand in the combined U.S. and Canada market.
Litehouse, Inc. started in the Hope, Idaho restaurant of the Hawkins family over 50 years ago. Since that time, it has become a leader in refrigerated salad dressings, dips, cheese and other innovative consumer packaged goods, manufacturing these delicious products at its five U.S. facilities based in Michigan, Utah and Idaho. Litehouse offers its diverse portfolio of products through general retail, e-commerce, foodservice, deli, member stores, and value-added goods where Litehouse products are featured in meal and salad kits. Litehouse is proud to be 100-percent employee-owned and each one of the employee owners carries on the high standards of quality and innovation.
For more information, visit LitehouseFoods.com, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.