Hoffmann Brothers Appoints Matt Whiat as Its New President

St. Louis, MO, April 04, 2024 — Hoffmann Brothers, a family-owned and full-service home service provider, is excited to announce the appointment of its new President. Matt Whiat is a highly accomplished executive with extensive experience in leadership development, executive coaching, and scalability. As President, he will play a key role in driving the company’s growth, fostering innovation, and ensuring the continued delivery of exceptional customer service.

“I am excited and grateful to welcome Matt Whiat to Hoffmann Brothers as our President,” said Chris Hoffmann, CEO and former President of Hoffmann Brothers. “Having worked with Matt for the last two years through our Advisory Board, I have developed great respect and admiration for his leadership and ability to make an impact.”

Hoffmann continued, “As our business looks to grow organically and by acquisitions, our leadership team was eager to find a President who could step into this mission-critical leadership role and steward us through this next stage of growth. The team is excited about the appointment of Matt and looks forward to the positive impact he will have on the company’s continued success.”

Whiat most recently served as a Senior Partner and one of the Founding Partners of the Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute, a leadership consulting company within the Barry-Wehmiller organization. In that role, Whiat helped organizations of all types and sizes with their leadership challenges and opportunities. Prior to that, he served over 20 years as a United States Air Force Officer with assignments on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, as a member of the United Nations to bring peace to Liberia in West Africa, and with NATO partners for operations in Afghanistan.

He holds graduate degrees in finance, management, and international relations and has an undergraduate background in industrial engineering and technology.

“I am honored to join Hoffmann Brothers, a company known for its commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. I look forward to working closely with the talented team and building on the strong foundation that Hoffmann Brothers has established,” said Whiat.

Knouse Foods Celebrates 75 Years of Heritage and History

Peach Glen, PA, April 04, 2024 — Knouse Foods, a leading producer of high-quality apple sauce, pie fillings, and apple juices in the food industry, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

Over the years, Knouse Foods’ two most popular brands, Musselman’s Apple Sauce and Lucky Leaf Fruit Fillings, have grown in popularity and gained national attention for their commitment to providing families with delicious and nutritious food options, using only the finest fruits and ingredients.

Founded by a cooperative of over 250 fruit farming families in 1949, Knouse Foods continues to be a grower-owned and operated cooperative of family farms dedicated to providing consumers the highest quality products, while continuing to be an industry leader in new product innovation, constantly developing new items and flavors to meet the needs of its customers.

Recent Product Launches include:
Musselman’s No Sugar Added Apple Sauce line – These single-serve cups are made from 100% American-grown apples and contain no added sugar, artificial flavors, or colors. They are Non-GMO, Gluten Free, and contain Vitamin C to maintain freshness.
Lucky Leaf Red Raspberry Fruit Filling or Topping – Made with perfectly ripened red raspberries, this premium filling delivers the authentic taste of homemade. It’s ideal for a wide range of delicious desserts.

“Here at Knouse Foods, we are immensely proud to celebrate our 75th anniversary,” said Rich DiFrischia, CEO. “Our journey over the years has been shaped by the dedication of our family of employees, the support of our customers, and the relentless pursuit of making products of the highest quality; values that have guided us since day one.”

Money Saver Storage – Stanwood Opens in Stanwood, WA

Stanwood, WA, April 04, 2024 — Money Saver Storage – Stanwood announced the opening of a new self-storage facility, located at 26912 Florence Rd., at the intersection of Florence Rd. NW and 270th St. NW in downtown Stanwood.

The facility comprises 355 storage units, totaling 59,070 sq. ft. of storage space. It offers a variety of storage unit sizes, ranging from 5 x 5 units suitable for boxes and small furniture, to 12 x 20 units ideal for storing household goods or business inventory. All units are accessible at ground level with drive-up access, and the facility includes heated options to maintain items in optimal conditions throughout the year.

Additionally, the facility provides storage solutions for RVs and boats, with units varying in size from 15 x 20 to 12 x 40. Select units feature power hookups to facilitate maintenance and readiness. The security measures implemented at Money Saver Storage – Stanwood include 24-hour recorded video monitoring, pin-code access at entrances, and LED lighting.

Money Saver Stanwood LLC is the owner of the operation, and, in collaboration with Trachte Building Systems, designed the facility. Peak Development LLC is the developer and builder. West Coast Self-Storage Group, headquartered in Everett, Washington, will oversee operations.

“This was a very challenging site that required 6-8′ of fill across the entire lot, something we hadn’t done before and was quite a large undertaking,” said Kyle Schrader, owner of Money Saver Storage- Stanwood. “Dawson Construction partnered with us on filling the lot and the civil contracting. This project would not have been possible without their expertise and efforts. We also relied heavily on local businesses such as Smokey Point Concrete, Skagit Aggregates, Swift Electric, and many others that worked together to help make this project a success. We are grateful for everyone that has contributed to our project and are excited to hand the keys over to West Coast Self Storage who we think will do an amazing job leading the Money Saver Brand as we enter into the Stanwood market.”

Sophie Vetter, District Manager for West Coast Self-Storage, echoed those comments. “We are thrilled to introduce Money Saver Storage to the Stanwood community. We believe the residents of Stanwood will truly appreciate having a new, high-quality option for both self-storage and RV storage right in their area. Our commitment to security, accessibility, and customer service means we’re not just offering space; we’re providing peace of mind and convenience. We look forward to becoming an integral part of the Stanwood community and serving its storage needs.”

West Coast Self-Storage Group, headquartered in Everett, WA, is a well-established player in self-storage property management, acquisitions, and development, with a portfolio spanning 131 locations across the Western United States. More information is available at WestCoastSelfStorage.com and SelfStoragePropertyManagement.com.

Press Releases Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

Pune, India, April 04, 2024 –CE Shreekant Patil, a certified LEAN MSME consultant and esteemed Mentor at Startup India, founder of PARENTNashik was the distinguished guest at the Women’s Wing of SCGT annual conference held at Enrise by Sayaji Hotel in Wakad, Pune. The event, which aimed to provide guidance on various government schemes for women empowerment, capacity building, first-time exporters, NSIC, and MSME schemes, witnessed the attendance of over 100 women entrepreneurs.

CE. Shreekant Patil was warmly felicitated by the Managing Trustee of SCGT, Mr. Dugade, and received a warm welcome from Deputy Secretary of SCGT, Dr. Pradnya Bapat, Women Cell Head Dr. Manisha Bankar, and Deputy Women Cell Head Dr. Sharayu Kshirsagar. During his insightful session, CE. Shreekant Patil shared valuable information on startups, ecosystems, seed funding schemes, and various MSME initiatives such as PMEGP, CMEGP, NSIC, PMFME, IC, and others for over an hour.

The session proved to be fruitful as Shreekant Patil dedicated time to personally meet and assist each woman entrepreneur from across Maharashtra, encouraging them to expand their businesses. He emphasized the importance of obtaining import-export licenses and venturing into the export business, offering his unwavering support and promising to onboard all 100 women entrepreneurs to ONDC soon.

Expressing their gratitude, the dignitaries from Saturday Club Global Trust commended CE. Shreekant Patil for his invaluable guidance and requested him to continue empowering women through regular insightful sessions.

Shreekant Patil is Founder of Startup – PARENTNashik, Exporter, Chartered Engineer, Valuer, (P &M), Trainer, Assessor at NSDC (Govt.), Counselor at NCS, Consultant – Advisor at UN, European Union, Asian Development Bank, African Bank, Euro Exim Bank, Sidbi, Professor of Practice at UGC, Governing Body member at various international Chamber of Commerce., Advisory board member at IIC, IQAC, E-Cell at various university & Colleges, Mentor at Startup India, Meity Startup Hub, BIRAC, E-Cell IIT Bombay, and various foundation incubation center in India and other countries like USA, Europe, Middle East & Asia.

Apex Restaurant & Market Solutions Opens Newest Cafe

(Kansas City, Mo., April 4, 2024) – Apex Restaurant & Market Solutions recently opened a new café at the Overland Park Xchange located at 6800 W. 115th St. in Overland Park, Kan. The newly branded Sunflower Café is a 12,000-square-foot space which seats 250 guests and is open to the building’s tenants that include Dynamic Logistix, Optum Rx, Selectquote Auto & Home Insurance, and United Healthcare.

Apex Restaurant & Market Solutions is the largest independently owned corporate food service company based in Missouri with offices in St. Louis, Kansas City, Colorado, and Iowa. Elite Cuisine, Apex’s exceptional culinary experience, will handle all corporate dining and catering services at the new café.

Elite Cuisine employees Nikki Beebe, who has been with the company for 18 years, was promoted to Sunflower Café’s manager, and Titus Singleton, who has been with Elite for three years, was named chef.

More than 1,000 employees who work in the building will be able to dine at the Sunflower Café, which offers a diverse range of dining options including hot breakfast and lunch entrées, a full soup and salad bar, and comprehensive catering services. The café’s space is ideal for tenants to enjoy a meal, hold meetings, or organize large business events with catered food service. Operating hours are from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays.

“Corporate food service has evolved significantly since Covid when many employees worked from home,” said Apex Restaurant & Market Solutions President & Founding Partner Brian Porembski. “We have helped our clients shift their perspective toward food service benefits post-pandemic. Focusing on providing easily accessible, healthy food options has become a crucial incentive for employees returning to the office. This change reflects a growing awareness of the importance of convenient, high quality food choices in the workplace.”

Leif Assurance Hires Commercial Lines Account Manager

Mayra Galvan has 13 years of insurance industry experience along with an Elite CISR designation.

(St. Louis, Mo., April 4, 2024) – Leif Assurance, a full-service insurance agency that exclusively handles construction insurance, recently hired Mayra Galvan as Commercial Lines Account Manager.

In her new role, Galvan will be responsible for managing all aspects of the renewal process for Leif Assurance’s clients, as well as assisting with new business acquisitions. She will also be overseeing the needs of current client accounts and ensuring they are handled in a timely manner.

Galvan brings 13 years of insurance industry experience to her position. Prior to joining Leif Assurance, she held various roles including Senior Insurance Account Executive where she managed a $6 million book of business, and as an Insurance & Property Tax Manager overseeing both commercial and personal lines accounts.

Galvan is an Elite Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR), a nationally recognized designation for insurance customer representatives who have achieved Elite Status by demonstrating a commitment to customer service and insurance knowledge. As an Elite CISR, she possesses a strong understanding of commercial and personal lines coverages, technical insurance information, risk management concepts, and best practices for running an insurance agency.

“Mayra’s Elite CISR designation shows her dedication to our industry in terms of sales and service expertise,” said Leif Assurance CEO JD Powers. “Her extensive background makes her an excellent asset to our team, and we look forward to sharing her technical insurance knowledge with our growing list of clients.”

Founded in 2022, Leif Assurance offers actionable risk management, as well as data-driven pricing models to build the most accurate risk profiles so contractors are rewarded for safe job sites with earned insurance savings. Leif provides cost-effective and comprehensive insurance solutions for worker’s compensation, general liability, builders’ risk, inland marine, and commercial auto.

Leif Assurance is the sister company of Powers Insurance & Risk Management and Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a cohesive family of more than 160 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois. Powers Insurance & Risk Management is one of the largest family owned and operated independent insurance agencies in the bi-state region. All three companies are located at 6825 Clayton Ave. For more information about Leif Assurance, call (314) 202-4200 or visit www.leifassurance.com.