Get to Know Our Newest Team Member!

This week we’re putting the spotlight on our new regional sales manager, Jim Gardiner! Get to know him by reading our Q&A.

Jim Gardiner, Regional Sales Manager

Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: My wife Christi and I live in Novi, Michigan, which is about a half an hour west of Detroit.  I have lived here my entire life. I graduated from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with a degree in Psychology and have spent my entire career in the food industry.  During college I worked in restaurants and spent the last seven years in restaurant management.  Heinz came calling in 2001, and for the past 20 years I have had various sale roles in the foodservice Industry.  I was fortunate enough to work for globally recognized companies like Heinz and most recently Rich Products. I have two daughters. My oldest daughter Kelsey is getting married later this year, and she currently works at Apple. Jessica, my youngest daughter, recently graduated from the University of Michigan in the School of Education. We also have three rescue dogs that are a part of the family. We enjoy the outdoors, cooking and traveling. With our passion for cooking, Christi and I are excited to start my career with Fuchs.

Q: What is your favorite part of your role here at Fuchs so far? 

A: As I start my third week, I think the part I am enjoying most is the interaction within our company and customers. Everyone has been supportive, and I look forward to contributing and being a part of this great team.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about your role here?

A: Having spent most of my career selling finished products, I am thrilled to be working with customers on developing unique and trending seasonings to provide the right solutions for their customers.

Q: What food trends are you most excited about in 2021? 

A: Spicy foods have always been a passion of mine and to see a lot of interest in products that bring both heat and taste to the market is exciting.

Q: What is your favorite food? 

A: Pizza is the clear favorite for me.

Q: Can you walk us through your passion for grilling, gardening, and peppers?

A: Since I can remember I always loved to grill, and over the years, I would seek new flavors to better the experience.  Back in my Heinz days, I was a part of the winning team in a chili cookoff competition. First prize was a basket of various sauces. This helped open a whole new world of flavors. I found myself exploring a wide range of sauces, and I gravitated to ones with increased heat. Scoville units became an important measure for me to enjoy new flavors and at the same time increasing my tolerance to spicier foods. Recently, I started growing my own peppers as an outdoor hobby to enjoy during the summer months.

Q: Is there anything else you would like our customers and fellow employees to know about you?

A: I am a music lover and continue to add to my vinyl collection. One of my other hobbies is photography.  Over the last several years I have had the opportunity to visit many interesting places around the country and have been able to capture some nice pictures.

Check out our FNA spotlights blog series to get to know more members of the Fuchs team!