Alto-Shaam Adds Team Members in Sales, Product Development and Equipment Services

Alto-Shaam has added four new team members to the company’s sales, product development and service teams. Leslie Hoffman was hired as vice president of national accounts-foodservice, Ryan Johnson was hired as national account specialist, Jeff McMahon was hired as director of product development, and Jerry Polka was hired as regional service manager.

“We are always looking for passionate people who will bring fresh ideas to the company,” says Steve Maahs, president and chief operating officer of Alto-Shaam. “These new team members are accomplished individuals with a wealth of experience and knowledge, and we are excited to have them here at Alto-Shaam.”

Hoffman will be responsible for the strategic development for chain account growth within the foodservice market segment. Previous to joining Alto-Shaam, Hoffman worked for a competitive foodservice equipment manufacturer as a commercial regional sales director. She also has experience in the foodservice industry, having worked as a catering manager and assistant manager for a national restaurant group.

Johnson will support Alto-Shaam’s inside sales efforts while focusing his attention on national chain accounts. He most recently worked as a key account manager for a large distributor and marketer of consumer goods in the convenience retail industry, where he managed accounts that reached more than $10 million in annual sales. Johnson developed customer relationships within the industry to help customers increase their sales in the marketplace.

McMahon will be responsible for the development and release of product improvements, specifically with the Halo Heat product line. He has significant experience in engineering and product management, in addition to 20 years at InSinkErator where he created a new business unit. Prior to that, McMahon worked as a senior project engineer at a competitive foodservice equipment manufacturing company.

Polka will manage all authorized service providers in his territory in the Midwest. Based out of Illinois, he will be the primary liaison between the authorized service agent network and the Alto-Shaam technical support team members. Polka most recently worked as a national service manager for a competitive foodservice equipment manufacturer.