Board of Directors

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Christopher Pappas
Founder, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Founder, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Christopher Pappas is our founder and has served as our chief executive officer since 1985 and has been a director on our Board and our Board chairman since our IPO, and he also served as a director and the chairman of the board of our predecessor company, Chefs’ Warehouse Holdings, LLC. He has been our president since April 11, 2009 and before that was our president from our formation to January 1, 2007. Prior to founding the Company, Mr. C. Pappas played basketball professionally in Europe for several years following his graduation from Adelphi University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration. Mr. C. Pappas currently oversees all of our business activities, with a focus on product procurement, sales, marketing, strategy development, business development and operations. Mr. C. Pappas currently serves on the board of directors of the International Foodservice Distributors Association and the Hudson National Golf Club, respectively. Mr. C. Pappas’ qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive knowledge of the Company and the specialty food products distribution business and his years of leadership at the Company.
Ivy Brown
Director
Director
Ivy Brown is an accomplished senior executive in the transportation services and package logistics field. Ms. Brown spent 32 years at United Parcel Service, Inc. and recently retired as President of United Parcel Service, Inc., Northeast District (Norwood, MA) where she led a $3.8 billion business unit with over 21,000 employees. Ms. Brown was responsible for growing key markets, sales, implementing technology, and all P&L responsibilities. Ms. Brown also has over 20 years of experience as a non-profit board director and previously served as a member of the advisory committee for the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Ms. Brown was a recipient of the United Way “2017 Woman of Impact Award” for her achievements in the areas of professional excellence, contributions to community service, and active assistance to other women in their attainment of professional and leadership skills. Ms. Brown earned her Master’s degree in Business Administration from Golden Gate University and her Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
Dominick C. Cerbone
Director
Director
Dominick Cerbone has been a director on our Board since May 24, 2012. Mr. Cerbone brings over 40 years of financial and accounting experience, which have all been spent at Ernst & Young. Most recently, he was a senior partner and consultant of the national office of Ernst & Young from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that position, Mr. Cerbone was a senior partner of transaction advisory services for Ernst & Young from 1990 to 2005, where he was responsible for structuring, negotiating, facilitating, and integrating business transactions involving global public and private entities in numerous diversified industries. Other positions held at Ernst & Young include cross-border market leader of the transaction advisory services department, a partner of the audit practice and managing partner of the Stamford, Connecticut office. Mr. Cerbone is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Cerbone holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, with a major in Accounting, from Iona College. Mr. Cerbone’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive background and experience in accounting. Furthermore, he qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined in the rules and regulations of the SEC, for our Audit Committee.
Financial Expert
Joseph Cugine
Director
Director

Joseph Cugine has been a director on our Board since September 7, 2012. He is currently owner of CKA Management, a $175 million QSR restaurant business with over 90 restaurants consisting of Taco Bell, Wendy’s and Jersey Mike’s. Mr. Cugine is also former President and current board member of BarFresh Food Group, Inc. (“BarFresh”), a publicly-traded manufacturer of pre-packaged all-natural blended beverages. Previously, Mr. Cugine spent 25 years at PepsiCo where his last role was chief customer officer and senior vice president of PepsiCo Foodservice division from 2004-2010. Prior to that role he held a series of general manager and sales leadership roles throughout PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble. Mr. Cugine serves as a member of the board of directors of BarFresh, R4 Technology, and has previously served as a member of the board of directors for Rambler beverages and the Elliot Group. Mr. Cugine was previously also an advisor to Elements beverages. Mr. Cugine’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his more than 35 years of experience in the food distribution industry, as well as his general business and investing background.

Financial Expert
Steven F. Goldstone
Director
Director
Steven F. Goldstone has been a director on our Board since March 7, 2016. Previously, Mr. Goldstone was the Lead Director of Greenhill & Co., and the non-executive chairman of ConAgra Foods, Inc., one of the largest manufacturers of packaged food products in the US. He has also previously been a director of two other New York Stock Exchange firms, American Standard Companies and Merck & Company, Inc. From 1995 to 2000, Mr. Goldstone was chairman and chief executive officer of RJR Nabisco, Inc. one of the world’s largest consumer product companies. Prior to joining RJR Nabisco, Inc., Mr. Goldstone was a partner in the New York City law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell (“Davis Polk”). As a Davis Polk partner from 1978 to 1995, Mr. Goldstone advised corporate clients on many of the largest national and international mergers and acquisitions transactions and securities matters of the day. Mr. Goldstone is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and attended New York University School of Law. Mr. Goldstone’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his more than 30 years of experience in leadership positions, his knowledge of the food industry, and his corporate governance expertise.
Alan Guarino
Director
Director
Alan Guarino has been a director on our Board since November 7, 2012. Mr. Guarino brings over 25 years of global recruiting and talent management experience to our Board. Currently, Mr. Guarino is vice chairman in the CEO and Board Services practice at Korn Ferry. Mr. Guarino serves as chairman of the board of directors of the Saint Pio Foundation 501(c)(3). He has also held other board/advisor roles as president of the West Point Society of New York, a member of the Army Science Board, as a member of the board of trustees of the New York Institute of Technology, and as a member of the investment committee of the Cappuchin Franciscan Province of Saint Mary. In 1993, Mr. Guarino launched the start-up company Cornell International that grew into a top ranked firm engaged in retained executive search and strategic human resource consulting on Wall Street. He sold the company to Adecco in March of 2003. Prior to that role, he served as chief operating officer of Career Directions, a regional staffing firm, as a department head in Global Securities Processing at The Bank of New York and as a captain in the U.S. Army. Mr. Guarino’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive knowledge of human resources, compensation matters and organizational development.
Stephen Hanson
Director
Director

Stephen Hanson has been a director on our Board since July 27, 2011. He was the founder of B.R. Guest Restaurants, a New York multi-concept operator that began with one restaurant in 1987 and expanded to over 42 properties in New York City, Las Vegas and Florida. Mr. Hanson was also the president of B.R. Guest Restaurants until his retirement in December 2013. Mr. Hanson has previously served as a member on the board of directors for Publicolor, a not-for-profit organization that uses color, collaboration, design and the painting process to empower students to transform themselves, their schools and their communities. Mr. Hanson was previously a member of the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Consumers Council for New York City. Mr. Hanson earned a business degree from New York University’s Stern School of Business in 1976. Mr. Hanson’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry, as well as his general business and investing background.

Aylwin Lewis
Director
Director
Aylwin Lewis was most recently the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Potbelly Corporation (Nasdaq: PBPB), a growing Chicago-based sandwich chain with operations throughout the United States and internationally, from 2008 to 2017. Prior to Potbelly, Mr. Lewis was Chief Executive Officer and President of Sears Holdings Corporation, which was created from the merger of two retail giants, Kmart and Sears. Mr. Lewis was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Kmart at the time of the merger, a distinction that made Mr. Lewis the highest ranking African- American executive in the U.S. retail industry. He has also held various executive positions at both Yum! Brands and Pizza Hut. Mr. Lewis presently serves on the board of directors of Marriott International and VOYA Financial and previously served on the board of directors of The Walt Disney Company, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Mr. Lewis earned his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston, Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Houston Baptist University and Bachelor of Science and Arts degrees from the University of Houston.
Katherine Oliver
Director
Director
Katherine Oliver has been a director on our Board since November 3, 2015. Ms. Oliver brings over 25 years of media and entertainment experience to her appointment. She is known for her innovative branding strategies, business development expertise, creativity, and an unparalleled understanding and commitment to customer service. Ms. Oliver is a founding Principal at the global philanthropic consulting firm Bloomberg Associates, which was established by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to help improve the lives of citizens in cities around the world. Ms. Oliver oversees the media and technology portfolio, advising mayors and international civic leaders on economic development and public communications strategies and helping them harness the power of media and technology to improve government services. Ms. Oliver also advises a diverse range of corporate, cultural and non-profit organizations, including Bloomberg L.P., on cutting-edge content creation and marketing strategies. Ms. Oliver also sits on the board of directors for 1-800- Flowers.com, Inc. From 2002 to 2013, Ms. Oliver served under Mayor Bloomberg as New York City’s Commissioner of Media & Entertainment. During her tenure, New York’s media and entertainment industry saw its strongest growth in history, supporting 130,000 jobs and generating direct spending of $7.1 billion annually. Prior to her appointment as Commissioner, Ms. Oliver was the General Manager of Bloomberg Radio & Television. Ms. Oliver’s qualifications to serve on our Board include her extensive knowledge of branding, content creation, and marketing strategy.
John Pappas
Founder, Vice-Chairman, Director and Chief Operating Officer
Founder, Vice-Chairman, Director and Chief Operating Officer
John Pappas is a founder of the Company and currently serves as our vice chairman, a position he has held since March 1, 2011, and chief operating officer, a position he has held since February 24, 2022. From our founding in 1985 to March 1, 2011, he served as our chief operating officer. Mr. J. Pappas has been a director on our Board since our IPO, and he also served as a director on the board of our predecessor company, Chefs’ Warehouse Holdings, LLC. He has over 35 years of leadership experience in logistics, facility management and global procurement and oversees our entire network of distribution centers in North America. Mr. J. Pappas is also active in the development of our corporate strategy. Mr. J. Pappas’ qualifications to serve on our Board include his extensive knowledge of the Company and the specialty food products distribution industry and his years of leadership at the Company.