After successfully navigating the global supply chain challenges and having a record-breaking year of sales in 2022, Vollrath Co. President and CEO Paul Bartelt is retiring after leading the organization for more than 15 years, the company said.
Erik Lampe (pictured) joins the Sheboygan, Wisconsin-based company, which designs, develops and manufactures foodservice equipment, industrial washers and cleaning equipment, this month as president. He will take over as CEO in June. He comes to Vollrath with a background in general management, strategic growth, innovation and operational performance for industrial companies, Vollrath said.
He has spent most of his career at Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and McKinsey & Co., New York, in a variety of strategic leadership roles. For the last year, he worked as a principal for West Palm Beach, Florida-based Comvest Partners’ operating advisory group, where he served as a leader for the firm’s privately held companies.
“There comes a time for all of us to move on, and I feel confident that this is the right moment for me to transition to the next phase of my life,” Bartelt said. “It’s been the privilege of a lifetime to be the president and CEO of this great company, and with Erik, I am confident to leave the organization in the most competent hands.”
Bartelt will remain on the Vollrath board and continue to provide support for the company and the new CEO, Vollrath said.
Lampe said, “Given Vollrath’s family-held history and long-term orientation into the future, I am proud to be a part of the company’s next chapter as it surpasses the 150-year anniversary.”
In other changes, Steve Heun, vice president of finance and CFO, is stepping down in the fall after more than 15 years with the company.
Tina Kreidler, the current director of finance and controller at Vollrath, is the new vice president of finance. She will work closely with Heun until his departure.
Danielle Kohler, chairperson of the Vollrath board, said: “The family wants to thank Paul and Steve for doing a tremendous job over their 15-year tenure. They have built an incredible company and team. We are also grateful they will both be with us for a smooth transition into the next chapter of the company. We are confident that Erik Lampe, who is stepping into Paul’s shoes as our next CEO, is highly qualified and will fit well into our culture as our new leader.”
The Vollrath Co., founded in 1874, is privately held and family owned. It’s a sixth- and seventh-generation woman-owned company with nine factories across the United States, Europe and China that manufactures products to exacting quality standards globally, backed by outstanding customer service. The company focuses on quality design, engineering and manufacturing across its business divisions for foodservice and custom and specialty products.
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