ROCKINGHAM, VA - In the relay race that is fresh produce, the baton was recently passed from one C-suite leader to the next as Shenandoah Growers continues its executive transitions. Most recently, the company named Matthew Ryan as its new Chief Executive Officer, who succeeds Timothy Heydon after his more than 20 years as CEO. Additionally, the grower named Mike Buckley as its new Chief Financial Officer.
"When I looked at the booming business of indoor agriculture, Shenandoah Growers stood out as the company with the strongest track record, and the best technical and biological know-how to transform its existing market-leading position into a long-term strategic advantage," said Ryan. "My career has been shaped and defined by innovative, market-leading companies. Here, the opportunity for growth could be even greater, as Shenandoah Growers is uniquely positioned to deliver against the converging demand for affordable, high-quality and organic produce, and the need to grow it sustainably and reliably."
According to a press release, Ryan is the former Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Strategy Officer for Starbucks. He also gained expertise as the head of Brand Management for The Walt Disney Company, contributing to his keen understanding of what it takes for a company like Shenandoah to achieve scaled topline growth.
In addition to his previous roles, Ryan currently sits on the Board of Directors for Kaiser Permanente. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude.
"Matt is a proven leader and strategist with an impressive track record of building strong, competitively advantaged brands in roles at Starbucks and Disney. As Shenandoah Growers seeks to do the same in produce, scaling across many different crops, sales channels, and geographies, Matt's leadership will be invaluable," said Philip Karp, President. "Shenandoah Growers is also incredibly fortunate to be retaining the deep institutional knowledge of our outgoing CEO, Tim Heydon. Tim's vision and steady hand have guided the company's growth for the past two decades. The strong position we hold today as both a market and technology leader are a credit to Tim, and we are so pleased that he will continue to be an integral part of our team as this journey continues."
In addition to Ryan, Mike Buckley has joined the executive team, most recently serving as the Senior Vice President of Business for Postmates and holding numerous business and financial executive roles during its acquisition by Uber.
"I was attracted by what Shenandoah Growers has already been able to accomplish through its 'biology first, technology to scale' approach, in terms of sales growth and profitability, growth in market share, and long-standing retail customer relationships," said Buckley. "I'm excited to help maintain the company's current course financially, while simultaneously scaling to serve new and diverse markets."
Buckley brings several decades of experience in financial, operational, and executive roles, guiding both public and private companies through periods of rapid growth and change. In addition to Postmates, he worked at Nike as CFO of Nike Direct, overseeing its fast-growing direct-to-consumer business, among other roles. Buckley was also a Managing Director at Intel Capital, where he headed its consumer investment practice. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School's General Management Program and received his Bachelor of Arts in Quantitative Economics from Stanford University.
"Mike's sharp business acumen and track record of developing and implementing winning growth strategies at consumer brands like Postmates and Nike make him an incredible asset to our fast-growing company," said Karp. "As we continue to expand, Mike will ensure that we are well-positioned to maintain our current momentum well into the future."
Heydon will continue to be fully engaged with the company, working directly with the Board of Directors to offer strategic counsel rooted in his decades of leadership shepherding the company through its evolution.
The appointments of Ryan and Buckley follow the addition of Cameron Geiger as Chief Operating Officer and Dr. Tessa Pocock as Chief Science Officer.
Congratulations to all of Shenandoah Growers' recently appointed executives!
