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Lakeview Pantry Names Exiting Feeding America Executive Bill Thomas as Chief Operating Officer


Bill Thomas, Lakeview Pantry, COO
Bill Thomas joins the Lakeview Pantry as its Chief Operating Officer (Photo Provided)
CHICAGO—(ENEWSPF)–May 15, 2018 ​
By: Angie Davis

Bill Thomas is joining Lakeview Pantry as Chief Operating Officer. Lakeview Pantry is Chicago’s largest food pantry, serving over 8,000 low-income residents through 40,000 site visits, distributing 1.4 million meals every year. The Pantry has two emergency food distribution sites, a home delivery program, and social service programming for those suffering from hunger and poverty on the city’s North Side.

The Chief Operating Officer role is new to the Pantry and was created to support sustainable growth for the future.  Over the past two years, the Pantry has experienced unprecedented growth in revenue and program delivery. In this new role, Thomas will oversee all administrative, operations and programs functions, including food acquisition and volunteers. He will guide the organization in delivering creative, cost-effective and measurable results that allow Lakeview Pantry to further its mission of ending hunger on the North Side.

“I am thrilled to welcome Bill to Lakeview Pantry,” said Kellie O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer of Lakeview Pantry. “His experience and expertise in food sourcing, supply chain and logistics coupled with his deep commitment to hungry people uniquely position Bill for this role.”

Thomas will join Lakeview Pantry on July 9, 2018. He comes to the Pantry from Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, where he serves as Chief Supply Chain Officer. In this role he has been responsible for leading a $6 billion food sourcing program, managing multi-million corporate partnerships, including Walmart and Starbucks, and developing a nationwide strategy that led to historic increases in healthy foods such as fresh produce. Additionally, he has overseen the functional areas of product sourcing, customer service, transportation and disaster services. Prior to joining Feeding America, Thomas spent 10 years with Barilla America serving as Director of Planning, Purchasing and Co-Packers. Prior to that, he spent 19 years with the Quaker Oats Company where he held a number of management positions from marketing to planning to operations.

Thomas earned a master’s degree in marketing from Loyola University and a bachelor’s degree in general management from Purdue University.

About Lakeview Pantry

Since 1970, Lakeview Pantry has provided nutritious food and essential social services to residents on the North Side of Chicago. Its mission is to eliminate hunger in the community by providing food to fill the basic needs of hungry people, by increasing the independence of clients through social service programming that address the root causes of poverty, and by raising awareness of hunger and poverty. The organization provides over 1.4 million meals to the hungry through 40,000 site visits every year. Lakeview Pantry operates two physical food distribution sites at 3945 N. Sheridan Road and 1414 W. Oakdale, as well as a home delivery program. For more information about Lakeview Pantry and details on the hours, please visit: www.lakeviewpantry.org.

Source: www.lakeviewpantry.org


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