Steve Patterson’s career spanned nearly 40 years with global food companies Carnation/ Nestle S.A. and the J.R. Simplot Co. a $6 billion dollar privately held food and agribusiness based in Boise, ID. He is an accomplished strategic executive and achieved a strong track record for driving growth, delivering results and building outstanding teams throughout his career.
Steve began his career at Carnation Co. prior to their acquisition by Swiss based Nestle SA in 1986. Over his 16-years at Carnation/Nestle, Steve served in a progression of sales leadership roles in the Chicago, Columbus, OH, Atlanta and Dallas markets. In his last five years at Nestle, Steve led the company’s McDonald’s Strategic Business Unit and tripled the business over that time.
Steve joined Simplot in 1997 as Vice-President of National Accounts with responsibility for over $300 million in sales through the largest US restaurant chains including Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, Applebee’s and many others. He went on to lead the US foodservice business at Simplot as Vice President of Sales and Marketing and was subsequently named Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing managing all of Simplot’s US domestic and international business with sales of over $1 billion.
Steve focused his last six years at Simplot on expanding their International business working in a general management/business development role with P&L responsibility for Simplot’s business in Japan, Korea, China, Southeast Asia, Mexico and also supported a JV in Argentina. He grew the business over 50% to nearly $350 million during that time. Steve restructured and upgraded the entire leadership team in all Simplot’s international markets and played a lead role integrating a Chinese company Simplot had purchased with the overall company structure.
Steve is a native of Cincinnati, OH and received a BS in Journalism from Bowling Green State University. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Ada County and previously served as President of the Board of Directors for the ARC a non-profit that serves the needs of adults with disabilities.