COME GET TO KNOW US

Are you interested in finding out why Del Monte is such a great place to work? Well, look no further. Get up close and personal with some of our employees who each in their own unique way contribute to Del Monte's bottom line. The employees featured here represent the diverse and dynamic culture that is Del Monte. They are committed to helping Del Monte grow and thrive. "We've got great people building great brands," says Rick Wolford, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO. "And that makes for a great company that's perfectly poised for growth."

Doug (San Francisco Headquarters) — Senior Manager, Digital Marketing

Doug joined Del Monte Foods in August 2008 and is currently a Senior Manager, Digital Marketing on the Integrated Marketing team. In this role, Doug works with the Pet and Consumer brand teams to create engaging digital marketing strategy online and in emerging platforms.

When asked how his work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Doug replied, “Del Monte is increasing its presence online, especially since this is where our consumers are spending a lot of time and we can truly engage with them. Leading strategy across all of our brands in a unified way creates a fantastic opportunity to have ongoing dialog with consumers online.”

Something surprising about Doug is that he went for a swim around an iceberg while traveling in Antarctica! Doug spent time on an expedition on the Antarctic Peninsula and continent where he saw multiple varieties of penguins, whales, and seals. A few pictures are posted on his Flickr page here. Doug also enjoys competitive sailing, travel and training for triathlons.

Noree (San Francisco Headquarters) — Brand Manager,
9 Lives

Noree joined Del Monte Foods in October 2005 and is currently a Brand Manager on the 9Lives team in the Pet Marketing department. In this role, Noree is responsible for setting brand strategy, determining and executing the brand’s marketing plan, and meeting top- and bottom-line financial targets. She spends a significant amount of time working with her cross-functional and agency partners, so project management is a large part of Noree’s role. Noree says that “complete brand ownership is one of the most fulfilling parts of my job.” During her tenure at Del Monte, Noree has held previous roles as an Associate Brand Manager in Consumer Marketing on both Vegetables and Fruit.

When asked how her work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Noree replied, “9Lives offers advanced nutrition at an affordable price. Our product is in direct support of Del Monte’s vision of nourishing families and enriching lives, including the lives of our pets. Our country desperately needs to improve health and eating habits, and it’s great to work on a brand that accomplishes this.”

Something surprising about Noree is that she actually grew up in England. “My family is from California originally, so we were ex-patriots in the UK. I went to an international school that follows an American curriculum, so most of my friends were American and I never developed a British accent – to my regret!”

Patrick (San Francisco Headquarters) — Brand Manager, College Inn

Patrick joined Del Monte Foods in February 2005 and is currently a Brand Manager on the College Inn Broth brand in the Consumer Growth business unit. Patrick says he really enjoys the general manager nature of marketing at Del Monte. “I feel like an entrepreneur running my own business. I have the freedom to develop my own plan to grow my business, easy access to senior management to gain alignment and funding, and the trust to turn my plan into reality.” Patrick first joined Del Monte as a summer intern in 2004 and after he was hired full-time in 2005, held previous roles as an Associate Brand Manager in Consumer Marketing on Vegetables, Tomato and Innovation.

When asked how his work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Patrick replied, “Everything starts with the consumer. I partner with our research & development teams to identify unmet consumer needs, then validate and launch products that help our consumers become healthier and thereby deliver upon Del Monte’s mission of enriching the lives of today’s family.”

Patrick’s favorite hobby is making and appreciating modern art.

Fitzgerald (Topeka Plant) — Maintenance Manager

Fitzgerald joined Del Monte Foods in January 2009 as a Maintenance Manager in the Topeka Plant. In this role, Fitzgerald provides and sustains plant capacity and equipment reliability to meet the plant’s production goals in a safe and economical environment. When asked what Fitzgerald likes about working at Del Monte, he replied “I know everyone says ‘the people’, but truly for me thus far, it has been the people. I am inspired by their commitment and dedication to the work and the success of the plant. Moreover, there is a sense of acceptance to continuous improvement that I find very refreshing and to some degree highly unusual. It makes my job a lot easier.”

When asked how his work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Fitzgerald replied, “What I do directly impacts the operational budget and cost to our plant and business. As one of the larger pet food plants, what we do here in terms of correcting and maintaining equipment performance impacts the quality of our products, the safety of our consumers, and the efficiency of our processes. All this applies to the “bigger picture” of nourishing families and enriching lives.”

Something surprising about Fitzgerald is that he is a close relative of a formal African nation Head of State. Fitzgerald also coaches little league football.

Gregory (Pittsburgh) — Director, Pet Co-Manufacturing

Gregory joined Del Monte Foods in October 2007 and is a Director, Pet Co-Manufacturing in the Co-Manufacturing department in Supply Chain. In this role, Gregory is responsible for finding manufacturers and setting up the supply chain for new, innovative pet products that are to be made outside of Del Monte’s current production facilities. He also manages the manufacture of all of the Company’s College Inn broth products.

We asked Gregory what he likes about working at Del Monte and his response was “I like the fact that the people working in the Corporate Service Center are dedicated to servicing the business. This makes for a productive environment in which goals are met and things get done. I am also gaining a fondness for Pittsburgh.” When asked how his work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Gregory replied, “A major initiative of Del Monte’s is to grow our business through innovation. A lot of that will depend on my ability to source and execute the pet projects in our pipeline.”

When asked what he would like people to know about him, Gregory replied “People should know that even though I grew up in Charlotte, NC and have lived in Virginia and Ohio, I have always been a Steelers fan!”.

Dom (Pittsburgh) — Director, Demand Planning

Dom is a Director, Demand Planning in the Supply Chain division. In this role, Dom is responsible for overseeing both the Demand Planning and Data Management teams in the Pittsburgh Corporate Service Center. Prior to joining Del Monte Foods in October 2002, Dom was with Heinz for eight years.

We asked Dom what he likes about working at Del Monte and his response was “the environment at Del Monte is very dynamic and so are the people. At Del Monte, there is a sense of pride in our accomplishments. Every day presents new challenges that allow us to expand our horizons and this in turn allows us to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace.” Dom says his work applies to the “bigger picture” as “Demand Planning and Data management work with all of the various functional units in Del Monte, from R&D through to Warehousing and Distribution. The department is tasked with keeping supply and demand in balance so that we can service the customer by having the right product at the right place at the right time. This in turn ties into our mission of excellent service to the customer.”

When asked what he would like people to know about him, Dom replied “I enjoy working with both our external and internal customers in developing solutions for improving the business.” Dom also enjoys collecting and displaying model trains from the 1940’s and 1950’s era.

Prasoon (Pittsburgh) — Senior Manager, Project Management Office

Prasoon joined Del Monte Foods in April 2008 and is currently a Senior Manager in the Project Management Office (PMO). In this role, Prasoon is responsible for enterprise-wide coordination of IT investments to ensure alignment to Del Monte’s strategy while minimizing risks, maximizing value and optimally utilizing resources and dollars. Further, his team defines project delivery methodology and provides key insights into the IT Project Portfolio that help deliver projects on-time, on-budget and conforming to customer requirements.

We asked Prasoon what he likes about working at Del Monte and his response was “I’m surrounded by passionate people who are geared to make a difference for the Company. The leadership team is very open, informal and focused on taking Del Monte to newer heights.” He says his work applies to the “bigger picture” because it “directly supports the top strategies of Del Monte and helps increase Del Monte shareholder value. PMO’s goal is to keep maximizing the business value of IT and extend the learning to other business areas to improve overall contribution to Del Monte.”

When asked what he would like people to know about him, Prasoon replied “I’m all about gaining efficiency collaboratively and keep making step improvements. At home, it doesn’t work like this all the time!”

Sharon (Bloomsburg Distribution Center) — Human Resources Manager

Sharon joined Del Monte Foods in October 2008 and is the Human Resources Manager for the Bloomsburg Distribution Center. In this role, Sharon is responsible for training and development, recruitment, legal compliance, policy administration, and employee relations. She also supports her team members in the areas of safety, inventory, finance, customer service and operations by providing training and HR guidance.

When asked how her work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Sharon replied, “I address day to day issues in the DC. I feel my job is to make the best decisions I can on a smaller scale because we are all important to the big picture.” We asked Sharon what she likes about working at Del Monte and her response was “everyone is friendly and helpful. I like the history behind Del Monte as it says a lot about the Company.”

Something surprising about Sharon is that she rides a motorcycle and has taken trips all along the east coast with her family. She says “it’s very relaxing, yet intense and I really enjoy it.”

Kevin (San Francisco Headquarters) — Brand Manager, Innovation, Pet Snacks

Kevin joined Del Monte Foods in September 2008 and is currently an Innovation Brand Manager on the Pet Snacks team. In this role, Kevin is responsible for innovating new products and entering new segments within Pet Snacks and Treats to further extend the Company’s leadership position in the Pet Treats category.

We asked Kevin what he likes about working at Del Monte and his response was “Working at Del Monte allows me to interact with talented individuals across functions. My current assignment has allowed me to explore new and emerging categories and to develop the next generation of new products that Del Monte will pursue.”

When asked what he would like people to know about him, Kevin replied “I like to travel and have been to 5 continents in the last 5 years. My goal is to visit the other two continents in the next few years but the trip to Antarctica might be a challenge!” Something surprising about Kevin is that he is a big fan of yoga. “I’ve been practicing yoga for almost two years and go to class 3-4 times a week and sometime in the near future, I will take a training course to teach yoga.”

Pooja (San Francisco Headquarters) — Brand Manager, Produce

Pooja joined Del Monte Foods in January 2007 and is currently a Brand Manager, Produce in the Consumer Marketing Growth business unit. In this role, Pooja has the opportunity to own her projects from start to finish and enjoys the level of accountability that comes with it. Her projects involve cross-functional teams which gives her the chance to work with smart people who teach her about other aspects of the business.

When asked how her work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Pooja replied, “It is very gratifying to know that every new product I am working on will help someone, somewhere lead a better, healthier life. I can do no harm!”

We asked Pooja what she would like people to know about her and she replied, “It’s uncanny but my previous brand management assignments prior to joining Del Monte were all in the area of health and wellness.”

Brandi (Pittsburgh) — Customer Service Rep

Brandi joined Del Monte Foods in December 2008 and is currently a Customer Service Representative on the Customer Satisfaction team. In this role, Brandi schedules all deliveries of pet products for twelve Wal-Marts across the country. She also works with Del Monte’s transportation affiliate to ensure on-time delivery and complete shipments.

When asked how her work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Brandi replied, “Since I am an animal lover, I am happy to make sure that our products get to store shelves and are available to meet the needs of families and their pets.”

Something surprising about Brandi is that she studied Japanese for seven years. “I’m still not fluent in the language but I can write and read some things.” Brandi is also intrigued by other cultures and would love to travel to other countries. “I want to learn several other languages, particularly Arabic and Chinese.”

Helen (Pittsburgh) — ETL Developer

Helen joined Del Monte Foods in October 2008 and is currently an ETL Developer on the Enterprise Data Warehouse team. In this role, Helen is responsible for developing and supporting data integration processes that are responsible for populating data in the Enterprise Data Warehouse.

When asked how her work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Helen replied, “I work in the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) team. The EDW stores detailed and aggregated data from different sources which provide valuable information to help Del Monte business users and executives make better, faster and more informed business decisions.”

Something surprising about Helen is that she is a juggler. “I started juggling when I was in college. When it was nice outside, my friends and I would juggle with juggling balls during lunch breaks.”

Sue (San Francisco Headquarters) — Senior Brand Manager, Soft & Chewy Dog Treats

Sue joined Del Monte Foods in August 2008 and is currently a Senior Brand Manager, Soft & Chewy Dog Treats in the Pet Snacks/Specialty Marketing business unit. In this role, Sue is responsible for managing the overall health of each brand within the Soft & Chewy portfolio. This includes achieving business goals and insuring each brand’s positioning is clearly and consistently communicated to consumers.

When asked how her work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Sue replied, “In 2008, Del Monte made a commitment to increasing its investment in consumer marketing initiatives. As part of this commitment, we launched the first-ever TV advertising and integrated marketing campaign behind Pup-Peroni in January 2009. This launch was a great demonstration of a cross-functional team pulling together to accomplish a big undertaking in a short period of time.”

We asked Sue what she likes about working at Del Monte and she replied, “Del Monte’s size and organizational structure allows greater access to Senior Management than I have experienced with previous employers. Instead of verdicts being pushed down from the top, my opinion is solicited and then taken into consideration as major business decisions are made.”

Jessica (Pittsburgh) — Audit Supervisor

Jessica joined Del Monte Foods in November 2004 and is currently an Audit Supervisor on the Internal Audit team based in Pittsburgh. In this role, Jessica supervises three direct reports and primarily has oversight responsibility for all domestic site-related audits.

When asked how her work applies to the “bigger picture” at Del Monte, Jessica replied, “As a member of the Internal Audit group, my goal is to provide an objective and independent evaluation of the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s financial and operational controls in order to promote operational efficiencies, identify cost savings opportunities and safeguard the Company’s assets.”

We asked what Jessica likes most about working at Del Monte and she replied, “I think Del Monte is a very exciting Company to work for as it is constantly changing. There are many passionate people who work hard to make this a great place to work every day. I enjoy the people and have met some of my best friends here.”