

September 28 – October 1, 2025
Columbus, OH

IFDA Rising Stars

Where Rising Stars are celebrated.
At IFDA Solutions, we celebrate food distribution’s brightest young talent on the industry’s biggest stage by inducting them into the 2025 class of Rising Stars. This prestigious recognition honors next-generation leaders who have already made a meaningful impact on their company’s success.
Nominate a Rising Star from your organization to spotlight their achievements and give them a chance to be recognized nationally, attend IFDA Solutions, build new skills, and connect with fellow emerging leaders in the industry.
Nominations close on June 30, 2025.
Qualification Criteria:
- Nominated by a supervisor or colleague (no self-nominations)
- Under 40 years old
- 5+ years in foodservice distribution
- Proven track record of success and innovation
Nomination Process:
- Nominate by June 30, 2025
- Nominator’s statement on the candidate’s contributions and impact within the organization.
- Brief Candidate Bio
- High-res image (1MB+, .jpg/.png/.tif)
- Appearance & Photo Release
Recognition:
- Featured onsite at IFDA Solutions
- Recognized during a general session
- Featured on IFDA’s website, social, and newsletter
- Preferred registration pricing
2024 Rising Stars

Drew Bajumpaa
Manager, Operations Academy Sysco

Mathilde Baranger-Albert
Head of Strategic Partnerships, Choco

Miguel Carrasco
Warehouse Operations, McLane Company

Vergel Cuevas
Inventory Manager, McLane Company

David Engwis
Assistant Warehouse Manager, McLane Company

Roman Florentino
Warehouse Operations Manager, Southwest Traders

Chad Gullickson
Transportation Manager, Gordon Food Service

Eduardo (Ed) Henriquez
Director, Indirect Sourcing, Sysco

Reed Kaus
Senior Manager, Demand Planning, Scooter’s Coffee

Billy Williams
Lead Refrigeration Technician (CIRO), Gordon Food Service

Courtney Layton
Assistant Transportation Manager, McLane Company

Isaias Melo
Warehouse Shipping Manager, Southwest Traders

Mohammad (Tim) Mir
Transportation Supervisor, Sysco

Kyle Oliver
Supply Chain Manager, McLane Company

William (Bill) Plath
Assistant Transportation Manager, McLane Company

Joshua Spiegelhauer
Supply Chain Manager, McLane Company

Andrew van Bark
General Manager, Pepper
2023 Rising Stars

Alexis Alvarez
Vice President, Operations, US Foods

Christopher Dias
General Manager, Southwest Traders

Chase Estes
Vice President Operations, Tankersley Foodservice

Erin Graham
Vice President of Operations and Strategy, Pepper

Stephanie Henry
Customer Service Manager, McLane Foodservice

Christopher Howard
Assistant Distribution Manager, McLane Foodservice

Chelsea Kuyper
Electronic Data Interchange Analyst, Gordon Food Service

Aishah Malik
Manager, Operations Strategy & Planning, Sysco

Sean McCabe
Senior Buyer, DiCarlo Distributors, Inc.

Lilamy Pitt
Supervisor, Accounts Payable, McLane Foodservice

Amanda Rombaugh
Customer Development Director, Georgia-Pacific

Paul VanCampenhout
Customer Development Director, Georgia-Pacific

Dana Wondercheck
Transportation Business Analyst, McLane Foodservice/Vantix Logistics

Mitu Zenaye
Marketing Manager, FoodPRO Corporation
2022 Rising Stars

Terrence Williams
Vice President, Operations, US Foods

Kathleen White
Customer Marketing Manager, Gordon Food Service

Chase Estes
Vice President, Operations, Tankersley Foodservice

Romeo Trif
Vice President, Operations, Sysco

Griffin Bird
Vice President, Sales, Jake’s Finer Foods

Phillip Singleton
Assistant Transportation Manager, McLane Foodservice Houston