There is also a pool of $250 million in private-equity funds available to buy stakes in the companies. She also procures materials, assembles packaging prototypes, and crafts sales and influencer kits. He is currently working to complete his Certified Management Accountant License from the Institute of Management Accountants. Here he shows off the innovation kitchen. Nicolette holds an associates degree in specialized technology from Antonelli Institute, a graphic design and photography school formerly located outside of Philadelphia. She earned a B.A. She spent the 20 years as facilities and space planning manager at Rodale Inc., where her responsibilities included property management, employee and vendor relations, space planning, and operations support. Elias is an experienced IT manager and network administrator. Fidelity Advisor Stock Selector Small Cap Fund - Class I. All rights reserved. One aspect makes Factory distinct: A pool of $250 million in private-equity funds available to buy stakes in the companies, said Thompson, 67, who lives in Upper Saucon Township. Other recent hires include Cresa, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach and Girls on the R[]. Official MapQuest website, find driving directions, maps, live traffic updates and road conditions. Prior to joining Factory, Keith worked for eight years with Fortress Investment Group, where he was a portfolio manager responsible for the day-to-day operations of a real estate portfolio in the U.S. and Europe. A former CEO of Freshpet, Thompson had helped lead the move of Freshpet into Lehigh Valley in a production facility just across the street from where Factory Manufacturing LLC is now in Lehigh Valley Industrial Park IV. Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions. Facebook. Sign-up for our weekly newsletter! So we certainly feel that having a hydration plant on the East Coast gives us a big advantage at least for the retailers up and down the East Coast., Thompson said the Valley was a natural place for such a venture because you can reach 40% of the U.S. population within eight hours. Marla is a CPA and financial executive with over 25 years of experience in financial accounting and reporting, budgeting and planning, and treasury. The high concentration of food and beverage companies in Lehigh Valley has helped propel the region to the nations 52nd largest manufacturing economy. Located in a converted Bethlehem Steel building, Factory includes a team of experienced operators with $250 million of investable capital who acquire meaningful equity stakes in client companies and partner with them to grow. in graphic and interactive design and a minor in business management (marketing track). We continue to see strong interest from manufacturers who want to take advantage of the regions location and talent.. I don't have the time, but I'm trying to find the time.Any advice for business jet passengers?I have one rule for my pilots: We don't have to be anywhere at any given time. POSITION: Founder of Zootoo.com and CEO of GO7Brands. Factory specializes in "scaling up" businesses, according to the Kansas-born. Prior Factory, Leland worked at AUA Private Equity Partners, Wild Oats and Guggenheim Securities where he completed transactions in food and beverage, restaurants and e-Commerce. Motoko Rich is Tokyo bureau chief for The New York Times, where she covers Japanese politics, society, gender and the arts, as well as news and features on the Korean peninsula. You buy low and sell high. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. On one of our first dates, I flew her in my [Cessna] P210 from Denver to Santa Fe to meet my mom. Erin holds a B.S. Factory Manufacturing Inc. opened. The building parallels East Third Street and is across the street from the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts. September 1, 2009. She holds a bachelors degree in accounting and finance. rich plums and chocolates. Brian is a seasoned CPG executive whose experience spans all sales disciplines, including cross functional annual planning, category management, trade and shopper marketing, distribution strategies, third-party agency and broker leadership, and DSD. 2007 Jim Thompson Europe. Previously, Rich was the Board Member at Covenant House. Nicole earned a B.A. Shes worked in food trucks in North Carolina, baked pastries in Colorado, and cooked up dinners at the Grand Canyon. Eventually, the company could be sold, with its owners and Thompson and his investors reaping a profit. When you get something with a stand-up bathroom, I'll fly with you again." Fidelity Advisor Stock Selector Small Cap Fund - Class M. Tim Pollak was CEO of a top-20 global ad agency and vice chairman of two top-5 agencies, Y&R and Dentsu. Phone: 610-266-6775 Fax: 610-266-7623 Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 16, 2009. Michael has over seven years experience in Corporate and Investment Banking. All shelters are underfunded and understaffed. I'm sitting in meetings, listening to people and giving feedback. from Harvard, and holds an MBA from Northwesterns Kellogg School of Management. 1980 . Eventually, the scaled-up company could be sold, with its owners, Thompson and his investors earning a profit. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. But Thompson said he likes crazy ideas. Why did you buy a Hawker 700, a model that has been out of production since 1984?Because there's a big price difference between it and the Hawker 800. We didnt hide. It also cuts down on plastics because customers can pour the powder into their re-usable bottles, reducing the need for single-use plastics. How did the idea to do Animal Shelter Makeovers evolve?At Meow Mix, we gave a lot of cat food to animal shelters. He earned his BA at Dartmouth and MBA at Columbia University. So far, the platform has 20 to 30 users, representing at least 10 . Women of Influence identifies high-achieving women for their tremendous career accomplishments. It scares everyone else. The next thing Krajsa knew, he and other school officials were boarding Thompsons plane to meet representatives at Penn States main campus. Thompson announced the project in September 2017, after he left Freshpet, buying the mill at 315 Columbia St. for $1.87 million. The other one is that we are certainly a big believer that hydration in powder form, whether its in sticks, bags or tubs, is the future because people cant afford to move plastic and heavy objects around this country with the price of fuel, the price of supply chain and with a clean carbon footprint.. Our panel of experts will look at recent changes in health care [], The Forty Under 40 awards recognize Lehigh Valleys leaders who are under the age of 40 based on their professional accomplishments, commu[]. Rich Thompson is the Executive Vice President, Asset Management at Arcis Golf. (Photo/Glenn Koehler). CEO Files Rsum: Richard Thompson POSITION: Founder of Zootoo.com and CEO of GO7Brands. Its something you want to be around, a private equity group with all the resources that allow a company to have the resources of a $100-million company. ""At Factory Manufacturing, we provide the highest quality powders and are constantly innovating and seeking taste and texture solutions that will also optimize costs and get products to market faster."". As Freshpets CEO, he tapped into the twin trends of healthier food for the family and the humanization of pets as he led a company which produced the first refrigerated pet foods. But its not a manufacturing site. Barbara grew up in Abu Dhabi, UAE but her hometown is Allentown, PA. Kim earned a BFA from Pennsylvania State University and holds a Certificate in Digital Media from Moore College of Art. We launched in October 2007 and it's now the leading online community for pet lovers.Why did you decide to do a Web site for pet lovers?There are 200 million pet owners and lovers in this country. Marla is a strong leader and problem solver with deep operational, financial, and managerial experience in the food industry. The plant in the suburbs is an outgrowth of Factory LLC, which was started five years ago in south Bethlehem in a former Bethlehem Steel building. Nobody got COVID here that we know about, and we built this 165,000-square-foot facility.. We found that 70 percent of the people in most communities don't know where their local shelter is. Richard was a big part of it, said Tierney, whose companys frozen baked goods, pizza pockets and more are sold online and at supermarkets, including several locally. You can stay off the golf course and pay attention to your businesses. free, frozen food to subsidize his marshmallow passion. At Factory, Mike assists our brand partners in establishing operational procedures using business analytics to streamline their processes and deliver cost savings to the bottom line. But Pleasant Valley turned over records for Idaho case, which was started five years ago in south Bethlehem, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Join Facebook to connect with Judith Thompson and others you may know. With the capital to invest, a $10-million renovation of the Columbia Street building and 35 employees, Thompson hopes Factory will attract up to 20 companies. It will manufacture products for smaller companies affiliated with Factory LLC and is open to making them for unaffiliated companies. We have the combination of decades of experience, expertise, and state-of-the-art equipment with the added benefit of in-house R&D experience provided by Allen Flavors. Prior to that she led marketing for Balance Bars successful turnaround while working at a private equity-backed firm. Los Angeles Angels recalled Rich Thompson from Salt Lake Bees. Prior to joining the Factory staff, she won a branding contest sponsored by Factory and subsequently served as an intern in the graphic design department. She has provided insight and guidance to operations in dairy, grocery, meat, confectionary, and aseptic beverages. She currently serves on the board of directors for Lehigh Valley Roller Derby. The Women of Influence honorees are selected[], We take a look at the latest developments in Health Care across the region. Experience is invaluable, as are the relationships built over years in the industry, and the resources that can make or break a new venture are often unaffordable. 1980 Jim Thompson Factory. Six years ago, I bought this airplane. People know I'm involved.What is the worst mistake a CEO can make?Not listening to your people. Everyone thought I was crazy. Nicolette is an experienced commercial photographer and editor who uses her editing and retouching skills to make our brand partners products shine in every piece of content our studio produces. Two businesses have already moved into Factory: Mikeys, which sells gluten-free goods in 3,500 stores, and Honey Stinger, an energy-food company from Steamboat Springs, Colo. . Email. Factory Manufacturing is the second manufacturing facility to arise from the Factory LLC. I had to be an entrepreneur.What is the origin of GO7Brands?We owned Meow Mix, the cat food company. Tierney, who is trained in the culinary arts, went on to work in the elite kitchens of the French Laundry in Napa Valley and Eleven Madison Park in New York City, still chewing on the idea of how to make the perfect smore. So companies selling cat litter, pet food manufacturers, pet suppliers, vets, groomers and so on are the people who you'd want advertising. The mural is a bit of whimsy that belies the super-secret technology within the building: machines that put the chocolate inside the marshmallow. degrees in economics and business, civil engineering and environmental science, and, of course, visual communications. I looked at his track record of success. Petrucci Co., was among the 5.2 million square feet of industrial space delivered so far this year in Lehigh and Northampton . It was at capacity in six months. Stuffed Puffs opened its second facility in Hanover Township, Northampton County, in January 2021. In his previous role as a senior packaging engineer for Godiva Chocolatier, he created packaging for approximately 150 new SKUs annually and spearheaded a packaging standardization project that saved $2 million in materials costs year-over-year. She has a passion for words and people, and has woven together a career that has allowed her to work on marketing campaigns and public relations while always keeping the consumer top of mind. Kristi earned her degree in business administration at Muhlenberg College. Rich Thompson Professional Musician. Top Factory Motor Parts Integrations and Technologies. Trey worked at Discover Lehigh Valley, the destination marketing board for the Lehigh Valley. Lehigh Valley was among the busiest industrial markets in the nation during the pandemic. Most recently, she worked as a content manager at Lafayette College, helping to tell the stories of a legacy institution in the Lehigh Valley. He moved to Lehigh Valley to build the business with an investment from Factory and Richard Thompson. Chad has over 13 years of CPG experience between Nestl USA and Mars Wrigley, including seven years of progressive responsibility in demand planning. The facility includes blending machines for powder-based beverages, machines that can package the powder in individual, serving-size sticks or bulk containers, and a production line that can produce energy/protein bars in various shapes with short changeover times. Together they started Factory an operating company with funds to invest. APRIL GAMIZ / THE MORNING CALL, Rich Thompson, Managing Partner, helped create over $3 billion in enterprise value as CEO of American Italian Pasta Company, The Meow Mix Company and Freshpet. 3/19/2023 9:05 PM. LVB, Lehigh Valley Business provides 24/7 business news coverage and events honoring top business professionals. He met Rich while serving on the board American Italian Pasta Company, and also served on the boards of Meow Mix and Freshpet. Prior to joining Factory, Ben led the grocery channel shopper marketing team at TWINOAKS, a shopper influence agency, for its client Beiersdorf, a company whose brands include NIVEA, Aquaphor, and Eucerin. (Photo/Marco Calderon). May 3rd, Trio Generations @ Faircraft BrauHaus Fairport NY, 7-9pm no cover. A look inside the Factory LLC, a new business incubator in south Bethlehem at a former Bethlehem Steel factory on Thursday, January 10, 2019. To be eligible for Factory, Thompson said owners must show annual sales between $2 million and $20 million and allow Factory to take a majority interest in their businesses. Contact. This year, Thompsons team has unveiled a 75,000-square-foot production facility, dubbed Factory Manufacturing LLC, that will make products for a few of those growing companies. Then he started to teach me how to fly. Monroe County-based Weiler Abrasives has chosen Arjang AJ Roshan-Rouz as the next CEO. Factory Manufacturing LLC has debuted a new facility that makes powdered drinks, protein bars and more in the Lehigh Valley. The production facility at 157 N. Commerce Way in Hanover Township, Northampton County, is leased from J.G. APRIL GAMIZ / THE MORNING CALL. July 11, 2009. Shannon earned her B.A. Rick Thompson Partner Menlo Park, California, United States View 5+ vialicensing.com signiavc.com mallsoft.com adify.com hawaii.rr.com vids.com netscape.com yahoo.com 5+ 650-400-XXXX 253-631-XXXX 253-569-XXXX 650-614-XXXX 253-921-XXXX 415-913-XXXX Richard Thompson Founder and Managing Partner Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States View 5 She now uses her marketing degree from Penn State University and analytical skills to conduct market and consumer research for our brand partners, including fielding taste tests in our on-site consumer insights lab. The project underscores the importance of manufacturing in the Lehigh Valley. Mikeys and Stuffed Puffs brands were among the Factorys early investments. "I owned 100 acres on Caye Caulker. Thompson said hydration and powdered drinks are a growing industry as environmentally conscious people cut back on using plastic in favor of reusable bottles. So I thought, being a pilot and understanding how planes work, we could take it apart and rebuild it, which we did. See Rich Thompson's compensation, career history, education, & memberships. Liz is an accomplished graphic designer with a particular talent for branding, typography, and illustration. A Lehigh Valley native, she has the primary responsibility for the appearance and sanitation of the Factory facility. With Cypress in March 2006, he sold Meow Mix to Del Monte Foods for $720 million. Most recently, he was director of North American distribution, logistics and customer service for Godiva Chocolatier where he was responsible for overseeing multiple third-party distribution networks consisting of multi-channel fulfillment, including retail, wholesale, CPG and ecommerce. We have an investment in a pasta business in North Dakota. Factorys website notes its proximity to Newark and Philadelphia airports. Our Lehigh Valley, PA-based and GMP-audited facilities are equipped with top-of-the-line automated equipment for blending, dispensing, and packaging powders. Linsey is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute, earned her B.A. Troy, NY Steel Krafts Building Materials and Supplies, Inc.. An artist whose talents include drawing, calligraphy, and photography, Janes passion is design. She helps Factorys brand partners develop and refine their ecommerce strategies, handling everything from launching and managing ecommerce sites through forecasting and reporting. To get Zootoo started, we decided to do extreme makeovers for pet shelters, like ABC does for houses. Ground was broken in the last quarter of 2019 on the eve of a worldwide pandemic that created labor challenges, locked down countries and disrupted supply chains. The gym, lo[]. His multidisciplinary skills span digital and traditional media, and his experience includes print and packaging design, digital solutions, brand identities, and integrated campaigns. Her background in data research and analytics gives her a keen eye for spotting the latest social trends and knack for measuring results. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. You need to know what everyone is thinking about on a project. This guy, Krajsa said of Thompson, knows what he is doing, and he moves at lightning speed.. Clinician. He also served in the Golani brigade of the Israeli Defense Forces from 2010 2012. We do the Shelter Makeover so that the community has to get involved with the shelter to help it win a million-dollar makeover. in Communications from Kutztown University and M.S. Thompson said he is reaching out to area universities on collaborations, including using students as paid interns and for food focus groups, who conduct food tests in space inside Factory. Industries served range from Health Care, Digital Signage and Media, Food Banks, QSRs, Restaurants, Manufacturing, Software and Farming. Co-Manager. Insights from LVEDC staff, local business leaders, and innovators. in accounting from Binghamton University. Prior to joining Factory full-time, Megan served as an intern with the social media and digital marketing team. Three months later we were married. It was the first facility of this kind because of this very new [manufacturing] process.. Most recently, she was the director of manufacturing for Godiva Chocolatier, where she oversaw all aspects of manufacturing and packaging operations. He spent a decade in the kitchens of area country clubs before joining Kutztown University to oversee dining and then making his way to Factory. Be careful what you spill! You see this in the tech industry and in other spaces, but you dont see it in [consumer product goods], not something this immersive.. Thousands of people were at the shelters with signs and balloons and lots of pets were adopted.Do you spend all your time on Zootoo?Mostly, but I have other businesses. Most recently, she led the snacks division at the Hain Celestial Group, where she worked on natural channel brands like TERRA Chips and Garden of Eatin, and spent 4 years in leadership roles at B&G foods. Theres a lot of money available to entrepreneurs, and a lot of people willing to give or sell them advice. Sold Meow Mix to the Cypress Group in 2003 for $435 million, remaining as CEO after reinvesting in Cypress. Stuffed Puffs is part of a long tradition in the Lehigh Valley of innovation and the production of brand name products, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Don Cunningham said. Tyler graduated from Penn State Lehigh Valley with a degree in project and supply chain management. All rights reserved. 10/31/2005 to 07/31/2018. He chose the Lehigh Valley as the best . Elias earned his B.S. Then we formed GO7, which stands for "gang of seven," because there were seven senior management people at Meow Mix. It's very reliable. Among those innovations are single-serve powder packets, which allow customers to mix flavored powder in their own glass of water or bottle. There will be a lot of innovation and new flavors coming out because of this facility.. 10/31/2005 to 12/31/2012. Its a business accelerator for food, beverage and pet companies looking to scale up. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Here, youre not hiring anybody, Thompson said. Leland has 10+ years experience in investment banking and private equity investing in the consumer and retail sectors. Most hydration plants are in California, Salt Lake City and in the South. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. rich thompson factory. So Richard and Tim partnered with Keith Caldwell, a financial guru who previously managed $8 billion in assets with a leading international investment group. Think of it more as Factory U an innovation campus for small companies that are looking to grow, according to Thompson. Pat has a B.S. Among its success stories is Stuffed Puffs, which makes chocolate- and caramel-infused marshmallows. His knowledge base includes Six Sigma and Minitab software, a certification in SAP, and understanding of forecasting techniques and ERP systems. Erin has worked on better-for-you CPG brands for over 15 years. Powdered drinks are a multibillion-dollar industry that needed a production facility on the East Coast, Thompson said. Liz graduated from Moravian College with a B.A.
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