MICHAEL P. SCHALL

Managing Partner

Strategic Marketing Methods LLC

Founder and Managing Partner of Strategic Marketing Methods, a consulting firm which provides sales, marketing strategy, business development and supply chain value creation initiatives for the consumer products food industry.  Mike has over twenty years of senior management experience in sales, marketing and operations leadership in branded food companies, from entrepreneurial initiatives to large national brands.  Importantly, Mike's "human equity" in the industry provides valuable relationships to "connect the dots" to resources that might not otherwise be available to businesses and entrepreneurs.

Prior to founding Strategic Marketing Methods, Mike served as Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Direct Store Delivery of Wise Foods, Inc., a privately held $400 million regional snack food company.  While at Wise, he was responsible for Sales, Marketing and DSD distribution.  He developed core revitalization strategies, structured strategic joint ventures and implemented several successful new product (branded and private label), supply chain enhancements and new channel initiatives worth in excess of $50M in revenues. 

Prior to joining Wise, Mike served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The B. Manischewitz Company, LLC, a closely held manufacturer and premier marketer of ethnic and kosher foods in North America.  As the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mike directed day to day operations of all facets of the business as well as integrating acquisitions for the company, while successfully leading to the company to increased revenues and EBIT.

From 1992 until the acquisition of Guiltless Gourmet by The B. Manischewitz Company in November of 2000, Mike was President and Chief Executive Officer of Guiltless Gourmet, Inc., an Austin, Texas based manufacturer of all natural, healthy food products.  He assembled a team that grew the branded revenue from $9M to nearly $24M.  Guiltless Gourmet is recognized as one of the best-known natural snack food brands in the grocery industry today.

In 1987 Mike founded Strategic Marketing, a consulting firm providing marketing, business development and new product expertise to a broad range of clients in both grocery and foodservice venues.  He held executive positions at Prepared Products Company (Los, Angeles), Lawry’s Foods, Inc., (a subsidiary of Unilever-U.S.) and Carnation Company.

Mike earned a Masters in Business Administration in Marketing and Finance from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business in 1978 while managing his family’s restaurant businesses.  He graduated from California State University at Los Angeles in 1975 with his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing.  He also successfully completed Unilever’s North American Management Development Program.

He serves on the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee of Monterey Gourmet Foods Company (NASDAQ—PSTA) and is Executive in Residence at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.  He also serves on several advisory boards in food manufacturing and food supply chain technology.

He lectures at Georgia State University and is a contributor to www.retailwire.com, a web-based food industry resource forum.