ATLANTA, March 27, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Trustees of Americold (www.americold.com), the global leader in temperature controlled warehousing and logistics to the food industry, announced today that Fred W. Boehler, the Company's Chief Operating Officer, also has been named as President, effective March 31. As President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Boehler assumes the senior executive leadership role at Americold. Jeffrey M. Gault, President and Chief Executive Officer, is retiring and will continue to serve on the Americold Board of Trustees. Mr. Gault and Mr. Boehler will work closely during the coming weeks to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.
"I am fortunate to have led Americold through a transformational period, establishing guiding principles focused on operational excellence, customer service, and being the undisputed provider of choice in our industry. Looking ahead at the next stage of my life, the time is right to execute the plan for continuity of leadership and the next phase of growth at Americold," said Gault. "Fred is a talented leader with extensive experience in logistics and supply chain management. He has demonstrated keen strategic vision as an integral part of our senior leadership team, along with the ability to drive positive change throughout our operations. I have tremendous confidence in his capabilities to lead Americold."
Mr. Boehler joined Americold in February 2013 after serving as Senior Vice President of Supply Chain with SUPERVALU, Inc., a leading grocery retailer and wholesaler supplying more than 4,300 stores. Prior to SUPERVALU, Inc., he was Senior Vice President Logistics & Purchasing at Borders Group, Inc., where he oversaw Distribution Operations, Industrial Engineering, Logistics Planning and Purchasing. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management Science and Operations from Wright State University and a Master's Degree in International Business from Northern Illinois University.
"Jeff Gault led Americold to consistent growth and success in a rapidly changing industry, and he was instrumental in the decision to expand Fred's responsibilities," said Greg Mays, Chairman of the Americold Board of Trustees. "We recognize Jeff for his insight and valuable contributions and thank him for his three years as an executive of the Company. His continued involvement on the Board will help ensure that Americold remains on track with its strategic and operational initiatives."
About Americold
Americold is the global leader in temperature controlled warehousing and logistics to the food industry, offering the most comprehensive warehousing, transportation, and logistics solutions in the world. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Americold owns and operates 177 temperature-controlled warehouses, with more than 1.1 billion cubic feet of storage, in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina and Canada. Americold's warehouses are an integral component of the supply chain connecting food producers, processors, distributors, and retailers to consumers. Americold serves more than 3,000 customers, and employs 12,000 associates worldwide.
More information about Americold is at www.americold.com.