Retirement effective at the end of calendar year 2024
SHENANDOAH, Pa., July 16, 2024 – Ateeco, Inc., producer of Mrs. T’s Pierogies, announces the retirement of Mark Tarzwell, Chief Operating Officer, effective December 31, 2024.
Throughout his tenure with Mrs. T’s, Mark has been a driving force behind Mrs. T’s operational excellence, fostering growth and profitability especially during the historically challenging times of the pandemic. Mark spearheads the Operating Management Team comprised of all department leaders who develop and align with plans that support the company’s mission, vision and values.
Prior to Mrs. T’s, Mark’s extensive career with other esteemed companies took him through pivotal roles as Vice President, Perishable Supply Chain at Ahold; President, Burris Retail Logistics and Honor Foods; Senior Vice President, Non-Perishable Merchandising at Giant Food; General Manager at D.L. Matthews, and over 20-years at Acme Markets. His leadership extends beyond the office where he shares his passion for the food industry and marketing discipline, dedicating his time to fostering growth of our next generation of foodies. Currently, Mark is an adjunct professor at Saint Joseph’s University teaching Food Marketing, Treasurer for the National Frozen and Refrigerated Association and a board member of the Promotion Optimization Institute (POI).
Mark’s achievements were also recognized with awards including “Male Ally of the Year” from the Network of Executive Women, now NextUp, and the “Lifetimes Achievement Award” from POI.
With Mark’s retirement, LeeAnn Smulligan, VP of Operations and a seasoned professional with two decades of experience at Mrs. T’s, will step into the role of Chief Operating Officer effective January 1, 2025. LeeAnn’s deep-rooted understanding of the company’s operations and her commitment to its values make her the ideal candidate to lead Mrs. T’s into its next chapter.
Tom Twardzik, second generation owner of Ateeco, Inc., expressed gratitude for Mark’s invaluable contributions, stating, “On behalf of Mrs. T’s, I would like to extend our gratitude to Mark. Mark’s leadership has been integral to Mrs. T’s Pierogies and we are grateful for his dedication and vision. Mark embraced our culture and enhanced it with his unwavering passion to help all our associates succeed. We look forward to his continued leadership and involvement as he supports LeeAnn in her transition and ensures a seamless path for the company’s growth in the years ahead.”
“Working alongside this dedicated, passionate, and values-driven team at Mrs. T’s, has made my success in this position possible,” said Mark Tarzwell, Chief Operating Officer, Ateeco, Inc. “It’s been a wonderful ride and I look forward to seeing the great work that lies ahead under the guidance of LeeAnn and her team.”
About Mrs. T’s Pierogies
In 1952, Ted Twardzik Sr. dreamed of starting a food company inspired by his mother’s pierogy recipe. He remembered how popular the Polish dumplings were at church festivals and thought people would be excited to purchase them from their local grocery stores year-round. Later that year, Ted sold the very first pierogy samples to his local grocery store in Shenandoah, PA, and to honor his mother Mary Twardzik – the Mrs. T – he called his company Mrs. T’s Pierogies. Now, more than 70 years later, Mrs. T’s Pierogies is the largest producer of frozen pierogies, producing over 600 million pierogies a year.
