For your awareness, RDD is entering our 3rd year of fielding our perishables-focused sales agency services in the Southeast region. I’m pleased to share that our client brand portfolio and overall sales results continue to accelerate as our reputation for providing clients with hands-on stewardship, experienced counsel and solid customer penetration continues to grow. RDD Southeast is solidly positioned for significant expansion in 2020, and we remain one of the few perishables-exclusive sales agencies in the region.
It’s with great personal pleasure, and a modest dose of regret, that I announce the upcoming retirement of Joe Cervantes, who has served as General Manager of RDD Southeast since our founding in December, 2017. Joe has been a highly visible and widely recognized thought leader in the dairy industry, a highly valued RDD advocate, a trusted advisor and great friend to me for several decades. Since relocating to the Charlotte area to lead our expansion into the Southeast, Joe has worked tirelessly to build retailer support for our clients’ initiatives and RDD’s foundational service platform. We are grateful that he will remain on staff in an advisory role into his retirement.
It’s my pleasure to announce that Jay Henderson will be joining RDD Southeast in a managerial capacity, effective February 4th. Jay is an accomplished, seasoned and admired sales leader, with over 35 years experience in the retail food sales industry. He brings to the RDD Southeast organization extensive CPG product knowledge, perishables expertise and brand management experience. Jay’s list of grocery retailer experience includes Harris Teeter, Publix, Food Lion, Ingles, MDI, Lowes, The Fresh Market, Food City and SEG. Jay began his career in the food industry with Kraft USA, before redirecting towards the brokerage industry. Over his brokerage career, Jay has served in front-line managerial roles with sales agencies, including Advantage, Alliance and CROSSMARK. Jay is a graduate of University of North Carolina – Charlotte, and resides in Charlotte, NC with his wife, Beth.
Jay will be based at the RDD Southeast office in Charlotte, NC, and will report to Dan Cignarella, RDD Senior Vice President. Jay’s email address will be jhenderson@RDDSoutheast.com .
Please join me in congratulating Joe for his extraordinary career of service, and welcome Jay to the RDD family!
Best regards,
Bob