Sheboygan, WI – Vollrath Vice-President of Foodservice Sales Dennis Park announced the recent addition of five new District Sales Managers to the Vollrath team, expanding the company’s national and international presence. Van Bennett is the new DSM for the mid-Atlantic Region, Jason Mercil will be the DSM for Iowa, Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Mathieu Hivon will be managing Quebec, Canada. Taco Wijbenga will take on the role as the new Area Sales Manager for Europe, assisted by Nicolas Rouas as the DSM for France, Belgium, Luxembourg and part of Switzerland.
“Each of our five new District Sales Managers has extensive industry experience, which will help Vollrath maintain its reputation for providing the highest quality customer service in the industry,” Park stated. “We hope to continue to grow Vollrath’s business as we expand our internal resources as well as the depth and size of our product line to better serve all our customers’ needs throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.”
Van Bennett was appointed the new DSM for the mid-Atlantic Region and will manage the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. areas. Bennett graduated from the University of Maryland and has worked extensively in the foodservice industry. Previously, Bennett served in a variety of roles for Rubbermaid Commercial Products ranging from District Sales Manager and Regional Sales Trainer to Senior Territory Manager and National Account Manager. Bennett resides in Mount Airy, MD and serves as a volunteer fundraiser for his local fire department in Prince George’s County.
Jason Mercil recently started his position as a DSM for Vollrath in Minnesota, Iowa and North and South Dakota. Mercil graduated from North Dakota State University and has worked in the foodservice industry for 18 years. He spent four years with Dakota Food Equipment and 14 years with the manufacturer’s representative group Daly & DeRoma, where he represented several large companies. Mercil resides in Champlin, MN with his wife Katra and son Aiden.
Mathieu Hivon joined Vollrath in August as the new DSM in Quebec, Canada and holds degrees in Professional Cooking and Restaurant Management. Hivon most recently worked for Hardt Equipment as a Culinary Applications Specialist and has also worked for Distribution Felisol as an Inside Sales Manager for nine years. Hivon lives in Brossard, Quebec, with his wife and two children.
Taco Wijbenga was appointed the new Area Sales Manager for Europe by International Business Development Director Paul D’Alberto. He will be responsible implementing an ongoing strategic growth plan for Vollrath in Europe. Wijbenga graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Management from Rotterdam and has more than 16 years of industry experience. He was most recently the Director of HANOS-ISPC, an International Foodservice/Horeca wholesale company specializing in food and beverage products and restaurant and catering equipment. Currently residing with his wife in Westmaas, near Rotterdam, Wijbenga regularly volunteers for the Dutch Lung Disease Foundation.
Assisting Wijbenga in Europe is Nicolaus Rouas as the new DSM for France, Belgium, Luxembourg and part of Switzerland. For the past ten years, Rouas worked as a DSM in France for Cambro. He has also previously worked for Ecotel. Rouas is married with one daughter.
For more than 137 years, The Vollrath Company, L.L.C., has been setting the standard as a manufacturer of quality equipment and smallwares supplies for the foodservice industry. Vollrath offers the largest selection and best value for prep, cook, and serve foodservice solutions. For more information about Vollrath visit www.vollrathco.com or search “Vollrath” to find us on Facebook or Twitter. For media inquiries, contact Maureen Brennan at (312) 946-6075 or via e-mail at mbrennan@msinet.com or Linda Diedrich at 920-459-5204 or via e-mail at ldiedrich@vollrathco.com.
Source: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.