The Middleby Corp., a FEDA manufacturer member, has made four senior leadership updates covering several of its brands.
The series of promotions includes two for TurboChef and CookTek. Katie Cox was named president of the brands while Leslie Banados was appointed senior vice president of sales and marketing. Additionally, David Shave was named president of Middleby Marshall and Andrea Coldwell was chosen as general manager for the Middleby Marshall and CTX brands.
In her new role, Cox will be responsible for the strategic direction of TurboChef and CookTek and will oversee all brand operations including engineering, manufacturing and accounting. She joined Middleby in 2021 as vice president of business development and previously had roles at Hatco and Pizza Hut.
Keeping with TurboChef and CookTek, Banados will lead all sales and marketing activities for the brands while also providing culinary support. She first joined TurboChef in 2004 and spent 13 years in marketing and sales positions. She then worked as vice president of national accounts at Alto-Shaam for six years before returning to Middleby in 2022 as vice president of business development.
“Katie and Leslie are both proven, highly effective leaders,” said James K. Pool III, chief technology and operations officer. “Their deep industry knowledge and broad experience base has made them both a tremendous asset to all Middleby brands. They both have an outstanding track record, and I am confident they will excel in their new positions. Katie brings a strong background in sales and engineering to her role, which is a great fit for these two highly innovative brands. Leslie is very well versed on TurboChef and CookTek product solutions and its customer base from recent and past experiences. I expect her to make a positive impact very quickly in her new role. Middleby is proud to promote two highly qualified individuals, and we see it as a cornerstone of our future success.”
At Middleby Marshall, Shave will be responsible for leading and directing the overall business strategy and sales efforts of the brand. Originally from the United Kingdom, Shave entered the foodservice industry as a chef before joining TurboChef UK in 1997. He has since held many senior sales positions within the company, most recently senior vice president of global sales and distribution.
Meanwhile, Coldwell will oversee Middleby Marshall and CTX’s day-to-day operations in Elgin, Illinois, including manufacturing, operations and accounting. She joined the company as controller in 2023 and soon became interim general manager. Previously, she held several operational accounting roles at various manufacturing companies and was most recently the senior operations controlling manager at Mizkan.
“I am pleased to have a strong, experienced team in place to support these highly respected global brands and ensure their future success. Dave and Andrea will continue the tradition of bringing the most advanced and reliable Middleby Marshall and CTX conveyor cooking technology to the marketplace,” Pool said. “Dave is well-known and highly respected worldwide within our industry. I expect his deep knowledge of the market to quickly benefit Middleby Marshall. Andrea has hit the ground running during her first year with the company. Within a short timeframe, she has led significant on-site process improvements in accounting, operations and engineering. I am confident the brands Middleby Marshall and CTX have a bright future under the leadership of Dave and Andrea.”