Sysco Announces Leadership Team Promotions

11/04/2011 - HOUSTON (Globe Newswire) - Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) today announced the following executive leadership team promotions:

• Mike Green, Executive Vice President-Food Service Operations, was promoted to Executive Vice President and Group President. Green will oversee all Sysco operating companies, including all U.S. and Canada broadline companies, meat companies, SYGMA, FreshPoint, International Food Group, Sysco Guest Supply and Pallas Foods in Ireland. Green began his foodservice career in 1981, serving 10 years in various sales and management positions before joining Sysco Food Services of Chicago. He progressed through numerous roles of increasing responsibility in his Sysco career, chiefly in the Midwestern United States, before moving to Sysco's corporate headquarters in 2010 for his current role.

• Larry Pulliam, Executive Vice President-Food Service Operations, was promoted to Executive Vice President and Group President. Pulliam will oversee Sysco's contract sales, distribution services, sustainability, supply chain services, procurement services, business transformation and information technology functions. Pulliam is a longstanding leader in the industry, who began his foodservice career in 1975 in Fort Worth, Texas. He joined Sysco in 1987 and has since served in numerous leadership capacities at Sysco's corporate headquarters and various Sysco operating companies and specialty companies throughout North America, including Sysco Houston. Pulliam has been in his current position since July 2009. 

• Russell Libby, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, was promoted to Senior Vice President and will continue to oversee Sysco's legal affairs, mergers and acquisitions. Libby joined Sysco in 2007 as Assistant Vice President-Mergers & Acquisitions and Real Estate and was promoted to his current position earlier this year.  He began his career in 1991 as a corporate associate with Arnall Golden Gregory, LLP, in Atlanta, Ga.  He also has held leadership positions at Liuski International, Inc., a computer distribution and manufacturing company; COFRA Holding A.G., a Swiss international conglomerate; and Good Energies, Inc., an investment advisor. 

• Brian Beach, Vice President and President-Sysco Ventures, was promoted to Senior Vice President and will continue to lead Sysco's pursuit and development of strategic foodservice opportunities, particularly in the areas of restaurant technology and applications. Beach joined Sysco in early 2011 from the University of Florida where he was senior vice president for administration and business ventures and chief of staff to the president. He began his career in 1991 at Ernst and Young as a senior consultant, followed by roles at Allen C. Ewing & Co. Investment Bankers, Synagen Capital Partners and SI Ventures, a technology-focused venture capital firm.

"We have an outstanding leadership team," said Bill DeLaney, Sysco President and CEO. "These promotions reflect the strength and depth of the team and will enhance our ability to successfully execute our annual business plan, effectively implement our multi-year business transformation efforts and accomplish our key strategic objectives."

Each of these Sysco leaders will report directly to DeLaney.