AVA Cos., a case-ready manufacturer and distributor to the supermarket and food processing industry of private label pork, beef and other protein products, has appointed Leonard E. Lombardi Jr. as its CEO. Lombardi, a Villanova University alumnus, succeeds AVA’s founder, Albert L. Girgenti, who recently passed away.
Lombardi has been affiliated with AVA for more than 22 years, moving from sales trainee in its Pennsylvania butchering plants in the 1990s, to plant and regional sales, marketing and operations positions, then to various corporate positions, including director of operations and EVP, before his appointment as company president in 2004.
A resident of Mt. Kisco, New York, Lombardi describes himself as “a family man and an avid outdoorsman,” finding respite in sailing and offshore fishing, with a dose of motorcycle touring through Westchester County, New York, “for a little excitement.”
He describes his vision for AVA as, “a continuum of what Albert started, revved up with some exciting new products and presentations we’ve been working on, to hit our customers’ shelves early next year.”
AVA stands for Always Value Added. Based in Hicksville, New York, its ownership and management spans a combined 150 years of experience in all sides of supply for retail and foodservice.
