Leadership Breakfast: August 15–Grand Rapids

RICH WOLOWSKI is President and Chief Executive Officer of Gordon Food Service, a privately held family managed foodservice distribution company with operations in the US and Canada. Rich also holds a seat on the Gordon Food Service Board of Directors.

Rich has been with Gordon Food Service since 2004. In that time, he has held key positions within the company including Director of Program Sales, General Manager of the Central States Division, Senior Manager of U.S. National Accounts Sales/Distribution, North America eBusiness, and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to his tenure at Gordon Food Service, he held a senior leadership position at US Foodservice. Rich was also instrumental in the launch and leadership of Amphire Solutions and Instill, both internet-based start-ups within the foodservice industry.
Rich believes in the power of stories, perseverance, and faith in both his personal and professional life.

His own story of perseverance began at birth, when he spent the first 12 months of his life in the foster system before being adopted into a family of eight in western Pennsylvania. Despite having little money, he watched his family grow in their love for one another and the more than 100 foster children taken in by his parents. That love of caring for others has stayed with Rich throughout his life. Over the years, he and his family have spent personal time in Uganda where they have cared for orphans, built schools and hospitals, and spent time building sustainable egg farms to deliver a consistent source of protein to Ugandan children.

Rich has a passion for innovation and collaboration. In the last several years, Rich has been closely involved with several partnerships which include:
● The Food Foundry, a startup accelerator based in Chicago
● The incubation and launch of Relish Works, a Chicago-based innovation hub focused on pioneering the next evolution of the food industry
● Big Green initiative to bring healthy food and learning gardens into Detroit schools
● A partnership with Thrive Farmers to bring Thrive’s distinctive farmer-direct beverage products to the foodservice industry
● An exclusive foodservice partnership with Square Roots vertical farms enabling Gordon Food Service to be the first in their industry to offer customers locally grown produce, year-round

In addition to his seat on the Gordon Food Service Board, Rich is also a Vice Chairman and Board Member of the International Foodservice Distributors Association and Markon Cooperative. In 2021, Rich became a member of the Business Leaders of Michigan.
Rich resides in western Michigan with his wife of 26 years and their three children. If asked, Rich would declare that his four passions in life are: Faith, Family, Gordon Food Service, and his work in Africa.