Ruiz Foods names board chair
Stephanie Wilkes brings more than 25 years of food industry management experience.
Stephanie Wilkes has been appointed chair of the board of directors at Ruiz Food Products, Inc., the largest frozen Mexican food manufacturer in the U.S. The change was effective Sept. 29, 2025.
Wilkes brings more than 25 years of experience in consumer food industry management and board leadership. She joined the Ruiz Foods board in 2021 and also serves as a director for Rogers Sugar, Sheetz Inc., and Kawartha Dairy.
“I’m passionate about the energy and growth I’ve seen in my four years as a Ruiz Foods director, and I’m excited about this great company’s future,” says Wilkes. “It’s a privilege to be part of guiding this family-owned business as it pursues opportunity and innovation in its seventh decade.”
Dan Antonelli, who served as CEO between 2021 and 2024, and as executive chair for the past two years, will remain on the board.
“We are fortunate to have Stephanie’s wealth of consumer foods experience and vision in this board leadership role as we continue on our path to becoming the nation’s best frozen food company in the eyes of our team members, suppliers, customers, and consumers,” says Kimberli Carroll, CEO of Ruiz Foods. “We are deeply grateful to Dan for his leadership, which has already helped us make great strides in our transformation as a top-performing company.”
Wilkes has worked with brands including Trident, Sour Patch Kids, Halls, Oreo, and Jacobs Coffee. During her tenure at Kraft/Mondelez, she led global, functional, and regional teams through successful reorganizations and business turnarounds. She holds a BESc in engineering science and mechanical engineering from the University of Western Ontario and is a trained executive coach through the Columbia University Coaching Certification Program.
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