J.R. Simplot Names Kevin Storms

Kevin Storms, who joined Simplot in 2000 as head of its Vegetable Division, has been named president of the J.R. Simplot Company's Food Group.

Storms was promoted to vice president and general manager of the Company's North American Food Business in 2002. His responsibilities included operations, sales, marketing and supply-chain management for all potato and vegetable business in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Simplot President and CEO Larry Hlobik, said Storm's 23 years of senior management experience provides a solid foundation to lead the Food Group. "He has the ability to elevate this business to the next level," said Hlobik.

Prior to joining Simplot, Storms served as executive vice president and chief operations officer of Case Swayne Company, and 15 years at H. J. Heinz, the last five heading Ore-Ida's foodservice operations.

Storms replaces Jim Munyon who moves to the corporate office as an advisor to Hlobik on strategic projectss related to the food business.

Food is one of the Simplot Company's three operating groups. Its operations employ more than 5,300 people and include six U.S. potato processing plants as well as one each in Canada and China. It also has seven wholly owned and joint-venture vegetable plants in the U.S. and Mexico. Its food products are distributed in all 50 states and dozens of  foreign countries.