Baldor President Michael Muzyk to retire
Michael Muzyk, longtime president of Bronx, N.Y.-based Baldor Specialty Foods and fixture in the food distribution industry, plans to retire at the end of the year.
Muzyk’s has been looking forward to retirement after a nearly 30-year career, according to a news release, though he didn’t want to step away until he felt Baldor — one of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic’s largest food distributors — was well positioned for the future.
“Seeing the strong leader [Baldor CEO] TJ [Murphy] has become and the leadership team he now has behind him, I know this is the right time to move on,” Muzyk said in the release.
Stepping in and stepping up
Muzyk joined Baldor in 1996 as a sales representative when the company was still in its early days, operating out of a 25,000-square-foot space in Queens. His understanding of the culinary world, gained from his studies at the Culinary Institute of America and his experience in the kitchen at fine dining establishments like La Côte Basque, played a vital role in his success as a Baldor salesperson, as he understood what chefs needed and made it his goal to provide solutions, according to the release.
The company said he soon became the “right hand man” of then-Baldor founder and CEO Kevin Murphy, eventually taking on the role of vice president and then president. In 2013, Muzyk had the challenging task of helping the company move forward following Kevin Murphy’s death and assisting Kevin Murphy’s son, TJ Murphy, in assuming the role of CEO and owner, which he continues to hold today, according to the release.
“Muzyk's dedication to working closely with restaurant owners and chefs, combined with his unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality ingredients and best-in-class service, established Baldor’s stellar reputation and propelled the company’s unprecedented growth,” the company said in the release.
During his career, Muzyk helped Baldor establish its 290,000-square-foot headquarters in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, then expand service from Maine to Virginia, opening regional distribution centers in Boston, the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, the release said.
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The company said he expanded its product catalogue beyond produce to include specialty, dairy and meat, and he also led the acquisition of Pierless Fish; he also spearheaded the development of Fresh Cuts, Baldor's processed fruit and vegetable operation, which has grown to employ over 300 workers.
Muzyk also played a crucial part in various initiatives, including:
• The company's involvement in aiding the city's recovery after the tragic events of 9/11.
• Delivering essential food supplies during the NYC blackout.
• Giving aid during superstorm Sandy.
• Keeping the Baldor trucks running when the company pivoted to home delivery during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Today Baldor sells more than 5,000 SKUs and services more than 400 routes for 12,000-plus customers.
“I don’t reflect much on the past because I’ve always been so focused on the future, but looking back, I do see my fingerprint all over Baldor, and I’m proud of what we’ve done,” Muzyk said in the release. “In the last few years of his life, Kevin and I spoke often about the future of the company, and I committed to doing everything I could to make Baldor and TJ successful. I think I’ve lived up to that promise. I’m grateful for the trust and support I received from the team and our customers to enable my success.”
"I’ve known Michael most of my life, and I can say that his dedication to Baldor over the years has been astounding,” TJ Murphy said in the release. “His career here has been defined by his huge heart and his unwavering commitment to our customers, vendors and employees. He’s touched thousands of lives and careers, including my own. I’m personally so grateful for his many contributions and his help transitioning this company from my father to me, and I wish him the best on a well-deserved retirement."
Transition plan
The company said TJ Murphy will continue to guide the strategic vision of Baldor along its current growth trajectory. He has been collaborating with Muzyk for more than a year to plan for succession, including the decided to not appoint another president, according to the release.
“I couldn’t expect anyone to fill Michael’s shoes,” Murphy said. “He’s one of one.”
They did decide to bolster the company leadership team with subject-matter executives from larger companies who could help Baldor continue to scale up; In the past 18 months, they have added eight people to the vice president and senior vice president levels, and they will continue to hire a few key roles to the C-suite in coming months, the release said.
Muzyk will work closely with Murphy through the end of 2023 to ensure a smooth transition and “the continuation of the excellence Baldor customers have come to rely on,” according to the release. Muzyk will focus on knowledge transfer and ensuring continuity for the team. He will also participate in the hiring process for new leaders, providing his expertise to facilitate the succession process.
“As always, Baldor remains committed to sourcing the highest quality food, delivering exceptional service, expanding its coverage areas, and exploring new opportunities for growth,” the company said in the release, adding that it will continue to build upon its market presence, using the foundation laid by Muzyk's years of service.
