Silver Spring Foods: Ed Schaefer resigns as president and CEO of Silver Spring Foods, business consultant Mike Walsh named president

Media Contact: Joan Collins, Joan Collins Publicity (608) 222-2899

EAU CLAIRE, WI – Ed Schaefer, chief executive officer and president of Huntsinger Farms, Inc and Silver Spring Foods, Inc. has resigned after nine years expanding the companies into leading providers of horseradish, mustard and sauce products. Schaefer will work through October with the new president, Mike Walsh, a business consultant from California, to transition the leadership role.

Schaefer, who led the initiative to build the 150,000 square foot state of the art Silver Spring Foods horseradish manufacturing plant at the Gateway Industrial Park, said he has accomplished his goals at the 120-employee company and is looking for the next strategic business opportunity, probably in a larger company. He said he plans to take time to reassess his business goals and look for new challenges.

Schaefer has made several strategic acquisitions at Silver Spring Foods, including the purchase of Kelchner’s Horseradish Products in Pennsylvania last June. Along with his management team, Ed has introduced a line of Silver Spring wasabi sauces and has expanded product distribution in retail food service, private label and industrial markets nationwide and initiated online ordering for consumers.

Walsh, who has been CEO, senior manager and on the board of directors of several prestigious California and Texas- based businesses, holds a masters of business administration degree from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Stanford, California.

Silver Spring Foods, celebrating 80 years as a family business, is owned by Nancy Bartusch, the granddaughter of founder Ellis Huntsinger and her two sons, Eric and James Ryan Rygg. Eric Rygg is currently marketing manager at Silver Spring Foods.

Silver Spring Foods, the world’s largest producer and processor of horseradish products, is also one of the nation’s leading specialty mustard manufacturers, and has earned top awards at mustard competitions, with Silver Spring Beer ‘n Brat Mustard leading the way.