Richard Young

Executive Vice President, Transformation of Maple Leaf Consumer Foods

Business Division: Meat Products Group

Rick Young is Executive Vice President, Transformation of Maple Leaf Consumer Foods, an independent business unit of Maple Leaf Foods.

Mr. Young’s career with Maple Leaf Foods spans over three decades. He was appointed to his current position in February 2010. In this new role, Mr. Young will lead major transformation initiatives at Maple Leaf Consumer Foods, including plant network optimization, SAP implementation and complexity reduction of processes and products, all of which are critical to achieving the business’ financial goals and building strong competitive advantage.

He began his career at Maple Leaf Foods 33 years ago as an Assistant Product Manager with Canada Packers, working in a variety of progressively senior positions including production, marketing and business development. In 1990, Rick was appointed as Director of Sales & Marketing for Maple Leaf Prepared Meats, a position he held until January 1993 when he assumed the role of General Manager, Shopsy’s Foods. Later that year, he returned to Maple Leaf Prepared Meats as Director of Sales & Marketing prior to being promoted to Vice President, Sales & Marketing in 1995 and then Vice President, Business Development for Maple Leaf Meats in 1996. Mr. Young was appointed Vice President, Supply Chain for Maple Leaf Consumer Foods in 1997 prior to becoming President of Shur-Gain in March 2000, a position he held until assuming the role of President, Maple Leaf Consumer Foods in August 2000. This role was later expanded following the merger with Schneider Foods in 2004 and again with the integration of Maple Leaf Fresh Foods into the Consumer Foods organization in October 2006. Under his direction, Maple Leaf Consumer Foods established a leadership position in the Canadian market bringing innovation to life with new products, new markets and new opportunities. He held the role of President, Maple Leaf Consumer Foods until assuming his current role of Executive Vice President, Transformation.

Mr. Young graduated from Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology with a Marketing Degree in 1978. He has also obtained certification in Crosby’s Quality Management System and completed the Executive Program (Supply Chain) at Stanford University in 1998.

(January 2012)