CHIEF STRATEGY AND INNOVATION OFFICER, GOLDEN STATE FOODS
WHY: At GSF, long one of OC’s largest privately held businesses, he oversees innovation at a $5B food maker and distributor feeding 5B people daily.
RECENT: OCBJ Innovator of the Year award winner in September.
NOTABLE: Company has 10 innovation centers globally. Constantly developing new recipes for foods, beverages and sauces; improving product packaging; and, more recently, creating shelf-stable milk that went to food banks. Recent focus on blockchain, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things technologies.
QUOTABLE: “I never was a technologist for technology’s sake. I was always running a division or part of a business, and I used technology to create a compelling offer or competitive advantage.”
