Barilla Names New President of Region Americas Business

May 25, 2023

Melissa Tendick will replace Jean-Pierre Comte on June 1, with Comte stepping down after 13 years with the company.

Melissa Tendick, incoming President at Barilla Group, Region Americas

Pasta producer Barilla has announced that Melissa Tendick, vice president of marketing for Barilla Americas, will take over as president, Region Americas, on June 1. Jean-Pierre Comte, current president, will step down after 13 years with the company.

Tendick is a 20-year Barilla veteran and will be responsible for growing Barilla's presence in the Americas by providing strong category and marketing expertise, strategic vision and leadership, the company said in a statement.

According to the release, Tendick is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Tendick began her career at Barilla in 2003 and joined the marketing team in 2005. During her tenure, she led the U.S. Dry Pasta business to the highest value market shares and established a solid foundation for Barilla's business in the United States. Tendick has also been a long-standing internal champion of diversity and inclusion and serves as one of the executive sponsors for Barilla's Employee Resource Group on Diversity & Inclusion.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.