Longtime leader of Baldor Specialty Foods retiring at end of year

Michael Muzyk, longtime president of Baldor Specialty Foods, is retiring at the end of 2023.

Muzyk joined the New York-based food distributor in 1996 as a sales representative. He became vice president and then president, helping the company move forward in 2013 after the death of founder Kevin Murphy and assisting TJ Murphy, Kevin’s son, in becoming CEO.

“Seeing the strong leader TJ has become and the leadership team he now has behind him, I know this is the right time to move on,” Muzyk said in a news release.

Muzyk, who studied at the Culinary Institute of America and worked at fine dining establishments such as La Cote Basque, understood the needs of the chefs and restaurant owners he worked with, according to the release. Muzyk’s commitment to delivering high-quality ingredients and service helped Baldor, founded in 1946 as Balducci’s fruit stand in Greenwich Village, grow into one the Northeast and mid-Atlantic’s largest distributors of fresh produce, specialty foods, dairy, meat and fish.

Baldor services more than 12,000 foodservice, retail and corporate accounts from Maine to Virginia and offers 5,000-plus food items.

Muzyk helped Baldor establish its Bronx headquarters and open regional distribution centers in Boston, the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. He expanded the company’s product catalogue beyond produce to include specialty, dairy and meat and led the acquisition of Pierless Fish.

Muzyk also spearheaded the development of Fresh Cuts, Baldor’s processed fruit and vegetable operation, which now employs more than 300 workers.

“I’ve known Michael most of my life, and I can say that his dedication to Baldor over the years has been astounding,” TJ Murphy said in the release. “His career here has been defined by his huge heart and his unwavering commitment to our customers, vendors, and employees.”

Baldor will not appoint another president, according to the release, but has added eight vice president or senior vice president positions in the past 18 months. More C-suite hires are expected in coming months, with Muzyk involved in that process, the company said.