Sysco Corp CEO Announces He’ll Step Down In January

HOUSTON, TX — Bill DeLaney, chief executive officer for Houston-based Sysco Corp., announced on Monday that he will be stepping down, and handing over his role to Tom Bené, the company’s chief operations officer.

Bené will assume the role of CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2018.

DeLaney, who joined Sysco Corp in 1987, will serve as an adviser to Bené until Dec. 31, 2018, according to a Houston Business Journal report.

Bené, who formerly served as president of PepsiCo Foodservice, joined Sysco Corp in 2013, and was named COO in 2016.

“The board is confident that our plan provides a natural progression for Sysco to continue to grow and thrive, and Tom is the ideal candidate to succeed Bill,” Jackie Ward, chairman of Sysco’s board, said in a prepared statement.

Officials with Sysco Corp said the move coincided with the conclusion of one of the company’s three-year plans, and the commencement of another, the Houston Chronicle reported.

"It's a natural point for Mr. DeLaney and Mr. Bené to work together on developing strategies," Sysco Corp spokeswoman Camilla Zuckero told the Houston Chronicle. "The board feels that this plan provides a natural progression for Sysco."

Sysco Corp., a multinational food distribution and marketing company, that distributes food products to schools, hospitals, restaurants and hotels all over the world, was founded in Houston in 1969 and is the region's fifth largest publicly traded company with $53 billion in 2016 revenue.

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