<p>Kevin S. Murphy, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Baldor Specialty Foods passed away on January 31, 2013. Mr. Murphy was 58.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The industry veteran has been described as, “A true visionary with a life philosophy of hard work and caring for people that was felt by all whom he touched.” </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/Kevin_Murphy_Body00.jpg" alt="Chelan Fresh Banner" /></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Kevin began the company with two employees in 1991. As of today, Baldor employs over 800 employees and operates a fleet of over 200 delivery trucks. Baldor, based in the Hunts Point area of the Bronx, New York has the mission statement of hard work, determination and the desire to bring quality produce with impeccable service to New Yorkers.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Mr. Murphy was born April 20, 1954, in Wayne, New Jersey to Marilyn Murphy and the late Thomas D. Murphy. He is survived by his mother Marilyn Murphy, son Thomas James (TJ), daughter-in-law Christine, girlfriend Stacey Alvarez, and siblings Thomas D. Murphy Jr, Patrick Murphy and Sharon Triolo.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Mr. Murphy's career in food started at Balducci’s in Greenwich Village in the 1980’s when he married Ria Balducci, daughter of owner Andrew Balducci. He took over Balducci’s small wholesale division called “Baldor” in 1991.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">He moved his new company to a tiny warehouse in Long Island City, Queens and ran the operation with one van and a couple of delivery trucks. The next step was moving Baldor to a larger facility in Maspeth, Queens where more staff and trucks were added. In 2000, he took over a large facility on Barry Street in the Bronx.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In 2007, Mr. Murphy and Baldor took over an abandoned city-owned warehouse in the South Bronx that covers over 188,000 square feet and sits on 7 acres in the Hunts Point peninsula. He gutted the building, redesigned it and added dozens of trucks to service the tri-state area.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In 2006 Baldor Boston opened its doors in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Baldor opened a branch just outside of Washington, D.C. in 2012. Today Baldor delivers throughout most of New England, all of the tri-state area and the mid-Atlantic region.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Memorial donations can be made to: The Robert L. Fine Cancer Research Fund, 650 West 168th Street, BB20-05, New York, NY 10032 or the New York Presbyterian Home, Dr. Fine's Research Fund and Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>AndNowUKnow would like to extend our deepest condolences to his friends and family.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
