The Board of Directors of Berry Plastics has unanimously elected Thomas  Salmon as its next CEO and appointed him to the board of directors, effective this week.  Salmon, who most recently served as the company’s President and Chief Operating Officer, succeeds Jon Rich whose previously announced plans to retire. Rich will continue as the executive chairman of Berry’s Board. 
 
“Berry has thrived under Jon’s leadership.  During his tenure, the company completed 12 acquisitions, expanded its product offering and geographic footprint, became a public company whose share price has more than tripled since the IPO and grew revenue by over $2 billion,” says Ronald S. (Ron) Rolfe, chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Berry Plastics.  “I commend Jon for his leadership and for ensuring that Berry had a sound succession plan in place.  Tom is a well-respected leader, and I look forward to working with him in his new role.”  
 
“Berry has extremely talented and dedicated employees, and it has been a privilege to serve as the company’s CEO for the past six years,” says Rich. “The time is now right to pass the baton to the next generation, and I congratulate Tom on his election to the CEO role.  I look forward to continuing my role with the company as executive chairman and working with the Berry team, as they take the company to the next level.”
 
Salmon adds, “Berry’s past has been filled with great leaders who had a clear focus on creating a solid future for the company.  It is an honor for me to succeed them. Going forward, we will continue to strategically advance the company by ensuring we produce quality products in the global locations desired by our customers, that our culture provides a safe and rewarding atmosphere for our team members, and that we continue to achieve strong results for our shareholders.”