Plymouth, Wisconsin-based Sargento Foods has promoted Rod Hogan and Holly Baumgart to new roles on the new platform development team within innovation. The company believes these changes will progress the innovation goals that are important to achieving the company’s vision.
Hogan has assumed the role of SVP of new platform development. Since joining the Sargento Family in 1995, he has succeeded in building a best-in-class new product and platform development process, as well as a team of focused new product marketers.
During his 28-year tenure, Hogan has held a number of roles in new business development, as well as research and development, most recently serving as VP of new platform development. This role required him to lead the identification and development of new growth opportunities across the consumer products and food service and ingredients divisions. Further, he coordinated the development of annual innovation plans in support of strategic growth objectives.
Hogan has led the charge on a number of new product introductions at Sargento. His leadership has positioned Sargento to win several awards, such as the Balanced Breaks Cheese and Crackers product line that recently received a 2022 Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Award – the company’s third in less than a decade.
Baumgart has taken on the role of VP of new platform development. She has been with Sargento since 2016 when she joined the team as VP of information technology. She brings more than 15 years of experience in IT, business development and consulting to her position.
In her new role, Baumgart will support the core new platform development product initiatives, including new opportunities related to the recent acquisition of Baker Cheese. Her primary focus will be on the company’s long-term vision and investigating new markets in both natural cheese and other potential growth avenues.
Prior to accepting her new position, Baumgart served as VP of strategic planning, leading key corporate initiatives including price commodity management, long-term strategic planning and acquisition strategy.
For more information, visit sargento.com.
