JOH, the Billerica, Massachusetts-based sales and marketing agency covering the food, drug, mass and club channels, has added several team members in recent months.
Pam Madonna
Pam Madonna has joined the company as business manager of center store – New England, it was announced July 10.
Madonna has nearly 30 years of experience in sales, marketing and retail, having held positions in business management, client strategy and retail execution. She most recently served as a senior key account manager at a national sales snd marketing agency.
“Pam brings strong leadership, extensive industry knowledge and a proven track record of building meaningful relationships,” said Ryan Tierney, EVP of center store – New England for JOH.
“Her collaborative approach and commitment to delivering results make her an outstanding addition to our team.”
A resident of Sandwich, Massachusetts, Madonna is an active member of the New England Food Foundation.
Brendan Burns
Brendan Burns joined the company in mid-June as SVP of produce – Metro. He brings more than 25 years of consumer packaged goods experience in the beverage and produce categories, building high-performing teams and helping grow nationally recognized brands. He has led sales initiatives across a wide range of retail channels, including club, mass, grocery, foodservice and hospitality.
Burns’ extensive background includes leadership roles with companies including Red Bull North America, Vita Coco, Bai Brands, Watermelon Water, Bolthouse Farms/Generous Brands and, most recently, Gutsy Inc. (Culture Pop Soda), where he served as SVP of sales. Burns has earned a reputation for driving growth, building strong customer relationships, developing talented teams, and successfully scaling both emerging and established brands, JOH noted.
John DeSimone
John DeSimone joined JOH in mid-April as customer manager in the confection division. He has more than 40 years of experience in the food industry, with a career spanning sales leadership, customer management and category support for national brands and major customers. Known for his strong relationships and collaborative approach, DeSimone has spent decades helping brands grow while supporting retailers with strategic solutions.
Tom Eynon
Tom Eynon joined JOH in mid-May as director of produce for the Pittsburgh/Cleveland region. He began his career as a produce clerk in 1989 and has become a respected leader in produce merchandising, category management and retail operations, according to JOH. Eynon has held a variety of leadership positions in the produce industry, most recently serving as senior director of produce and floral for a regional supermarket retailer.
Kali Hill
JOH added Kali Hill to its North Central team in May as business manager – center store. Hill has 15 years of food industry experience, particularly in procurement, sourcing, contract negotiation and supplier management. She began her career in retail before transitioning into the grocery and distribution side of the business, where she advanced through a variety of leadership roles with a national grocery wholesaler and distributor.
Most recently, Hill led large-scale sourcing initiatives and managed private-brand sourcing programs. Known for her collaborative leadership style, she also played an important role in mentoring and training sourcing managers, helping to strengthen team performance and development, said JOH.
Brian LaMarche
Brian LaMarche was promoted to VP of produce – North Central Region in May. Since joining JOH in early 2025, he has quickly made an impact, helping strengthen the company’s growing presence in produce in the North Central market, the company said.
LaMarche has more than 25 years of experience in the produce industry. He began his career as a produce manager with a regional grocery wholesaler and later served as a produce/floral specialist and category manager for a Midwest retailer, where he drove strong results across sales, distribution, expense control and profitability. Prior to joining JOH, LaMarche held leadership roles in sales and business development at a national sales and marketing agency.
Pat McErlean
Pat McErlean was named customer manager of produce – North Central, in May. With more than 12 years of industry experience, he began his career in retail and event marketing before moving into beverage sales, where he gained strong experience managing retail programming and supporting national and regional grocery accounts in the Midwest, JOH said.
During his career thus far, McErlean has held a variety of sales and customer development roles, helping brands grow their business and strengthen retailer partnerships across the North Central market. Most recently, he managed key customer relationships and supported a broad portfolio of brands.
Dana Kelly
Dana Kelly was promoted to EVP of confection in June. Since joining JOH in 2021, Kelly has made a significant impact on the confection division, the company said. As director of confection, she led the sales team, recruited and developed talent, collaborated closely with JOH’s Analytics and Insights division and helped drive growth through new client opportunities and industry engagement.
Kelly has more than 15 years of industry sales experience working both as a broker and for manufacturers in the confection space. JOH noted that she has earned a reputation as a collaborative leader who is committed to her clients, customers and teammates.
Jason VanderMeer
Jason VanderMeer joined the company as a business manager in the North Central region in June. He joined JOH with more than 20 years of retail industry experience in both store operations and category management. He has held a variety of leadership roles focused on merchandising, inventory management, category strategy and business analytics.
Most recently, VanderMeer was responsible for leading category growth and strategic planning across several high-profile product categories, working closely with manufacturers to drive sales, profitability and customer engagement.
JOH celebrating 70 years
Founded in 1956 by Harry O’Hare Sr., JOH is celebrating 70 years in business. Over the years it has grown to operate 17 strategically located offices and employs more than 600 associates, representing more than 400 clients in key retail categories.