Naperville, IL – November 16th, 2021 — Tree of Life Canada, a subsidiary of KeHE Distributors®, announced today that Patrick Heffernan will be appointed as Senior Vice President of Customer and Client Development.
Come May 2022, Chris Powell will be retiring as Senior Vice President of Customer Development from Tree of Life after a successful 31-year career. Making impactful contributions to not only Tree of Life, but to the industry as well, Chris Powell has received numerous recognitions, including acknowledgement of excellence from the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) with the prestigious Life Member award in Industry Builder Category in 2021.
“We are grateful to Chris for driving success at Tree of Life and thank him for his role in development and progress of the company,” stated Lisa MacNeil, President of Tree of Life Canada. “During his tenure business has doubled and he has been a mentor to many. His Influence has made an indelible impact.”
Effective November 29, 2021, Heffernan will join as Senior Vice President of Customer and Client Development reporting directly to Tree of Life President, Lisa MacNeil.
Prior to joining Tree of Life, Heffernan has an expansive background in the grocery industry, foodservice, and drug industry, with more than 20 years of experience in senior executive roles. His previous experience also includes holding the Vice President of Supply Chain and Supplier Relations position at United Natural Foods Canada Inc. (UNFI Canada) until 2020 and most recently holding a role as Managing Partner with REMBrands.
Powell and Heffernan will work closely over the next several months to ensure a smooth transition.
About Tree of LifeTree of Life Canada is one of Canada’s premier routes to market for specialty, natural and fresh foods and is a wholly owned subsidiary of KeHE Distributors, LLC. KeHE Distributors®, LLC (KeHE) is the largest, pure-play distributor of natural & organic, specialty, and fresh products to more than 30,000 natural food stores, chain and independent grocery stores, e-commerce retailers, and other specialty products retailers throughout North America. With over 5,500 employee-owners, KeHE, a Certified B Corporation, drives its mission of serving to make lives better and bringing the next level of goodness, crazy GOOD™, throughout all aspects of its operation.
For more about KeHE, visit KeHE.com or check out our social media channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook,& Twitter.
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