The Founders' Award

About the Award

The Founders’ Award is CJ Schwan’s most prestigious honor. The award recognizes team members who consistently bring our culture to life and make a lasting impact on our business, our customers, our consumers and teams. Recipients exemplify our three core culture behaviors of Lead Yourself First; One Table, One Team; and Driven to Win.

The award was created in 1994 (originally known as the Marvin M. Schwan Heritage of Quality Award) to help preserve the ideals, qualities and core values that are foundational to the company. The award evolved over time to become the Marvin Schwan Excellence Award, and in 2020 became known as the Founders’ Award. The award is named in honor of the founders of Schwan’s and CJ CheilJedang, Marvin Schwan and Lee Byung-chull, respectively.

Founders’ Award Recipients

2025

Kay Woo
Procurement
Bloomington, Minnesota

Adalberto Ramos
Global Supply Chain
Marshall, Minnesota

Madeline Garretson
Global Supply Chain
Salina, Kansas

Angie Johnson
Business Planning
Marshall, Minnesota

Jon Gerken
Information Services
Marshall, Minnesota

Chef Craig Claude
Research & Development/Foodservice
Bloomington, Minnesota

Dennis Graham
Consumer Brands
Seattle, Washington

Emma Buysse
Foodservice
Marshall, Minnesota

Jim Jansch
Consumer Brands
Nashville, Tennessee

2024

Dwayne Dahlberg
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Dallas, Texas

Michael Gunn
Research & Development
Marshall, Minnesota

Theresa Zaske
Corporate Marketing
Marshall, Minnesota

Lisa Harmening
Information Services
Marshall, Minnesota

Lisa Haen
Human Resources
Marshall, Minnesota

Cliff Buck
Global Supply Chain
Bloomington, Minnesota

2023

John Anderson
Schwan’s Food Service
Texas

Jerry Pauley
Global Supply Chain
Marshall, Minnesota

Amy Clarke
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Bloomington, Minnesota

Ron Kath
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Bloomington, Minnesota

Shelly Heid
Research & Development
Florence, Kentucky

Hong Joung
Global Supply Chain
California

2021

Leslie Napolitano
Schwan’s Food Service
Milpitas, California

Helen Andries
Finance/Global Supply Chain
Marshall, Minnesota

Jon Robertson
Global Supply Chain
Salina, Kansas

2020

Teresa Penn
Schwan’s Food Service
Bloomington, MN

Jessica Longshore
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Bloomington, MN

Tarun Motwani
Schwan’s Shared Services
Florence, KY

Julie Hartle
Schwan’s Shared Services
Marshall, MN

Tony Moravec
SFC Global Supply Chain
Salina, KS

Marvin Schwan Excellence Award Past Recipients

2019

Gary Apon
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Harrison, Arkansas

Melissa Vit
Schwan’s Shared Services
Bloomington, Minnesota

Dave Olafson
SFC Global Supply Chain
Marshall, Minnesota

April Thomas
Schwan’s Food Service
Marshall, Minnesota

Brenda Huntington
Cygnus Home Service
Bloomington, Minnesota

2018

Jon Conley
Schwan’s Home Service
Fennimore, Wisconsin

Shannon Lenz
Information Services
Marshall, Minnesota

Mark Burt
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Phoenix, Arizona

James Baird
SFC Global Supply Chain
Stilwell, Oklahoma

2017

Phyllis Koch
Product Innovation & Development
Marshall, Minnesota

George Flores
Schwan’s Home Service
Lovington, New Mexico

Donna Hendricks
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Bloomington, Minnesota

Linnea Surprenant
Product Innovation & Development
Marshall, Minnesota

Bruce Egeland
SFC Global Supply Chain
Marshall, Minnesota

2016

Jerry Sloan
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Shelbyville, Kentucky

Michelle Michelson
SFC Global Supply Chain
Marshall, Minnesota

James “Shorty” Daniel
Schwan’s Home Service
Lancaster, New York

Melanie Carlson
Schwan’s Food Service
Marshall, Minnesota

Jennifer Brantley
Schwan’s Shared Services
Atlanta, Georgia

2015

John Marquez
Schwan’s Home Service
Santa Paula, California

Michael Joyce
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Meridian, Idaho

Jackie Johnson
Florence Pizza Plant
Florence, Kentucky

Jodi Schreurs
Schwan’s Shared Services
Marshall, Minnesota

Marvin Schwan Heritage of Quality Recipients

Award recipients from 1994 to 2014 received the Marvin M. Schwan Heritage of Quality Award. The award
transitioned to the Marvin Schwan Excellence Award (for recipients in 2015) so that it not only reflects
the importance of the company’s heritage and values but also the importance of achieving excellence as we
work toward our “Desired State.” The award used to be limited to three per year, one for a commissioned
employee, one for an hourly employee and one for a salaried employee.

2014

Ralph Revermann
Schwan’s Home Service
Sauk Centre, Minnesota

Giao Hoang
Schwan’s Global Supply Chain
Pasadena, Texas

Kim Stephens
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Marshall, Minnesota

2013

Nancy Hawthorne
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Shelbyville, Kentucky

Suong Nguyen
Schwan’s Global Supply Chain
Deer Park, Texas

Dale Bock
Schwan’s Shared Services
Marshall, Minnesota

2012

Rob Riedinger
Schwan’s Home Service
Powell, Wyoming

Sue Magnuson
Schwan’s Global Supply Chain
Marshall, Minnesota

Roger Ruhr
Schwan’s Home Service
Marshall, Minnesota

2011

Tony Franko
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Roanoke, Virginia

Mary Kerr
Research & Development
Marshall, Minnesota

Harry Smith
Schwan’s Global Supply Chain
Salina, Kansas

2010

Don Chitry
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Riverside, California

Donnie Bethmann
Schwan’s Global Supply Chain
Salina, Kansas

Ron Moore
Schwan’s Home Service
Southeast Region

2009

Christopher Holes
Schwan’s Home Service
Titusville, Pennsylvania

Jennifer Hasse
Schwan’s Global Supply Chain
Marshall, Minnesota

Marsha Grimes Rose
Schwan’s Food Service
Marshall, Minnesota

2008

Donnie Clawson
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
St. Louis, Missouri

Steve Knutson
Maintenance
Marshall, Minnesota

Pat McCoy
Schwan’s Food Service
Marshall, Minnesota

2007

Rich Olenius
Schwan’s Home Service
Intermountain District

Karol Jacobson
Schwan’s Food Service
Marshall, Minnesota

George VanOverbeke
Schwan’s Home Service
Intermountain District

2006

Donald Baker
Schwan’s Home Service
Intermountain District

Cindy Nuese
Purchasing
Marshall, Minnesota

Gary Danbrook
Schwan’s Home Service
Northeast Region

2005*

Duane Roland
Schwan’s Home Service
Intermountain District

Don Calvin
Truck Maintenance Garage
Marshall, Minnesota

Pat Surprenant
Research & Development
Marshall, Minnesota

2003

Gene Schaffer
Schwan’s Home Service
Intermountain Division

Mary Powell
Salina Microbiology Lab
Salina, Kansas

Allie Yarochowicz
Salina Pizza Plant
Salina, Kansas

Honorary: Robert Schwan

2002

Dennis Halling
Schwan’s Home Service
Pioneer Division

Janet Anton
Schwan’s Call Center
Marshall, Minnesota

Connie Beisner
Salina Research & Development
Salina, Kansas

2001

Terry Peterson
Schwan’s Home Service
Dakota Division

Jason Kellen
Schwan’s Technology Group
Red Wing, Minnesota

Kristy Griffin
Salina Pizza Plant
Salina, Kansas

2000

Robert Dirks
Schwan’s Home Service
Southern Arizona

Lisa Godkin
Schwan’s Europe
Leyland, England

Greg Flack
Schwan’s Food Service
Marshall, Minnesota

1999

David Mosher
Schwan’s Home Service
Western Washington

David Lee
Convenience Food Plant
Marshall, Minnesota

Donald Crawford
Salina Pizza Plant
Salina, Kansas

1998

John Huffman
Schwan’s Home Service
Ohio Division

Bernie Louwagie
Convenience Food Plant
Marshall, Minnesota

Joel Kor
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Salina, Kansas

1997

Mike Dewaters
Schwan’s Home Service
S.E. Michigan

Richard Gorecki
Ice Cream Plant
Marshall, Minnesota

Michael Ziebell
Schwan’s Home Service
Marshall, Minnesota

1996

Donald Larson
Schwan’s Consumer Brands
Superior Division

Lori Griebel
Corporate
Marshall, Minnesota

John Prather
Schwan’s Home Service
Marshall, Minnesota

1995

Darrell Rotvold
Schwan’s Home Service
Dakota Division

Bol Peung
Pasadena Plant
Pasadena, Texas

Eddie Smith
Ice Cream Plant
Marshall, Minnesota

Honorary: Gordie Molitor

1994

Arnie Soenneker
Schwan’s Home Service
N. Minnesota Division

Frank Callens
Corporate
Marshall, Minnesota

Pat Lewis
Salina Pizza Plant
Salina, Kansas

Honorary: Alfred Schwan

*Award date changed to reflect the year the prize is presented