Ingredion’s CEO Ilene Gordon to retire; Zallie to step up
Ingredion, a global provider of ingredient solutions to diversified industries, has announced that Ilene Gordon, CEO, president, and chairman, is retiring.
Ingredion, a global provider of ingredient solutions to diversified industries, has announced that Ilene Gordon, CEO, president, and chairman, is retiring. The board of directors has selected James (Jim) Zallie to replace Gordon as the company’s president and CEO effective Jan. 1, 2018. Gordon will serve as the company’s executive chairman of the board until her retirement in July 2018. Zallie will also immediately join Ingredion’s board of directors.
“I am extremely honored and proud to have served as Ingredion’s CEO for the past eight and a half years,” said Gordon. “We have successfully transformed the business, taking it from a 20th century supplier to a 21st century innovator. I believe Ingredion is well positioned for the future, and I appreciate the dedication and contributions of the board, leadership team, and employees to our success.”
Zallie, currently executive vice president global specialties and president, Americas, joined Ingredion in 2010 when the company acquired National Starch. Prior to his current role, Zallie was responsible for Ingredion’s operations in the Asia Pacific and Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions, along with corporate-wide responsibility for global innovation and operational excellence.
Prior to Ingredion, Zallie was president and CEO of National Starch, where he developed and executed a comprehensive strategy focused on asset productivity, people capability and development, innovation and core renovation, and emerging-markets growth. During his four-year tenure, compound annual sales grew by double digits.
Zallie earned a BS degree in food science at Pennsylvania State University, and both a MS degree in food science and technology and an MBA degree in finance at Rutgers University. He is a director of Innophos Holdings, an international producer of specialty phosphate ingredients, and on the board of Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. Zallie has been a member of the Institute of Food Technologists for more than 25 years.