McCormick & Co. has announced it will promote Lawrence E. Kurzius, the head of its global operations, to president and CEO effective February 1. He will replace Alan Wilson. Wilson will continue to serve as executive chairman of the board.
Wilson served as chairman, president and CEO of the Sparks, MD based spice maker for more than eight years and was responsible for McCormick’s worldwide business which now generates over $4.2 billion in annual sales. In January, Wilson transitioned responsibility for the company’s global operations to Kurzius who served as president and COO prior to his promotion to president and CEO.
“Alan has been a tremendous leader for McCormick since 2007. He’s been the driving force behind the company’s financial success. During his tenure as CEO, sales grew more than $1 billion to over $4.2 billion and market capitalization for the company doubled. Mr. Wilson personally championed innovation and major growth initiatives that allowed the company to outperform its peers. But the most impressive accomplishment was his passion for preserving the unique culture of this remarkable company. He truly believes in the power of people” said Michael D. Mangan, the lead director of the McCormick board.
In making the announcement, the company said that Wilson and Kurzius have had a very successful partnership working closely together on major initiatives. Kurzius has been a key leader for McCormick for the past 12 years and has served as a member of the Management Committee since 2007. Prior to joining McCormick, he was the CEO for Zatarain’s where he worked for over 12 years until the company was purchased by McCormick. He also held marketing positions with Uncle Ben’s, a division of Mars Inc. and the Quaker Oats Company.
“I am extremely proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish at McCormick. Our management team is comprised of the best talent in the industry. We’ve been able to deliver consistent results for our investors and over 10,000 employees around the world and I look forward to continuing to work with them in my new role. I am particularly excited about my successor Lawrence Kurzius. He has a proven track record of delivering results and he understands and values the importance of continuing to grow the company while ensuring that McCormick remains a great place to work” said Wilson.
“I am truly honored and excited about the opportunity to lead this great company. I’d like to personally thank Alan for his continued service to McCormick and his personal mentorship. The future for McCormick is very promising and I look forward to working with all of our employees around the world” said Kurzius.