Executive Committee and Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors
Nathalie Lassonde has been Chief Executive Officer of Lassonde since 2019 and is also Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. Having been with Lassonde since 2004, she has held the positions of Assistant to the Chair of the Board and Vice-President, Organizational Effectiveness. From 2008 to 2014, she contributed to the Company’s development as Corporate Director of People and Values. Prior to that, she was Administrative Director and Senior Human Resources Advisor.
Before joining the Company, Ms. Lassonde worked for National Bank Financial as an investment advisor.
She holds a bachelor’s in business administration, finance, from HEC Montréal.
President and Chief Operating Officer
Vincent R. Timpano is President and Chief Operating Officer of Lassonde since October 1, 2021. He joined the company in September 2020 as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company’s US subsidiary, Lassonde Pappas and Company Inc.
Mr. Timpano has extensive commercial and operational experience as a corporate officer. Over the past 20 years, he has served in various executive roles, including President, Global Coalitions at Aimia Inc., President of Coca-Cola Canada and President and Chief Executive Officer of The Minute Maid Company Canada.
He has also served on numerous boards, including as Chair, with United Way Toronto. He currently serves on the board of advisors with the Napoleon Group of Companies.
Mr. Timpano is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors, Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto and received an MBA from the Ivey Business School of the University of Western Ontario.
Senior Strategic Advisor
Guy Blanchette has been Strategic Advisor since 2021. In this capacity, he advises management on the execution of specific strategic projects and oversees investor relations.
Previously, he held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Before joining Lassonde, Mr. Blanchette held the role of Vice President and Treasurer of CAE. He was also Chief Financial Officer of Alstom Canada Inc., Vice President of Finance for SNC Industrial Technologies Inc. and Vice President, Treasurer and General Manager of SNC-Lavalin Equity.
Mr. Blanchette holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting, from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and holds the title of FCPA.
Chief Financial Officer
Éric Gemme has been the Chief Financial Officer of Lassonde since 2021. In this capacity, he manages all operations and strategies related to corporate finance and the publication of the company’s financial information. He also heads all investor relations activities. Previously, he has held positions at two Lassonde subsidiaries, as Chief Financial Officer of Lassonde Pappas and Company, Inc. and Chief Operating Officer of Apple & Eve, LLC.
Before joining Lassonde, Mr. Gemme was Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Services at BBA Inc., a Canadian engineering consulting firm. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Finance and Control at Future Electronics Inc., a global electronic components distributor based in Montréal, and Vice President of Finance at the Avionics & Surveillance division of Cobham, PLC, a major aerospace and defense supplier based in the UK. Earlier, he spent over 10 years in various management positions at CAE Inc., Cognicase Inc. and PwC.
Mr. Gemme has a degree in finance and accounting from Université du Québec à Montréal. He also holds several professional titles: CA-CPA (Quebec), CPA (Illinois), Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) and Certified Risk Manager (CRM). He also has an Executive Certificate in Technology, Operations and Value Chain Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
Caroline Lemoine is the Chief Legal Officer of Lassonde. She joined the company in 2004 and was appointed Secretary in 2005. She manages the company’s legal affairs, particularly regarding Canadian and US acquisitions, business transactions, litigation and intellectual property. She monitors compliance with laws governing securities and matters of disclosure. She also supports the Board of Directors and actively participates in creating and implementing the company’s governance practices.
Before taking on her current position, she spent three years working for a company selling 3D technology for online clothing sales and seven years in business law at a private practice.
Ms. Lemoine has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1993 and holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the Université de Montréal.
Chief Human Resources Officer
Mathieu Simard has been Chief Human Resources Officer at Lassonde since 2018. He is a member of the Company’s Executive Committee and oversees the strategic management of talent and organizational culture. He joined Lassonde in 2008 as a recruiter. He then became an HR advisor and, in 2010, Director of Human Resources. From 2015 to 2018, he held the position of Senior Vice President, Human Resources.
Mr. Simard has more than 20 years of human resources experience in the food and beverage industry. Before joining Lassonde, he carried out a variety of mandates as an HR advisor for organizations such as Thomas & Betts, Multi Marques and SAG Ressources humaines.
Mr. Simard is a member of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Human Resources Committee for Groupe entreprises en Santé, a non-profit organization that promotes best practices for health and wellness in the workplace. He holds a bachelor’s in industrial relations from the Université de Montréal.
Senior Vice-President, Innovation, Quality, Sustainability
Pierre Turner has been Senior Vice-President, Innovation, Quality, Sustainability, at Lassonde since 2014. In this role, he leads North American operations in food quality and safety, oversees strategic development of innovation and ensures delivery of Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) strategies. He also chairs the Risk Management Committee and Capital Assets Committee.
Pierre has over 20 years of management experience in the food processing industry. Before joining Lassonde in 2005, he held a management position for a medical equipment manufacturer and several management positions at Barry Callebaut, both in Canada and abroad.
He has sat on the Board of Directors of Fondation Initia since 2014, serving as its Chair from 2015 to 2020. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Beverage Association since 2017.
Pierre holds a degree in food science and technology from McGill University and an MBA from the University of Vermont.
Other members of management
Vice President and General Manager, US Brands Division
Gabriela Arrillaga is the Senior Vice President and General Manager, US Brands Division at Lassonde since June 2022. In this role, she oversees the performance of the US branded operations. Previously, she was the Vice-President of Marketing at Lassonde Pappas & Company. She joined Lassonde in 2015 as Marketing Director for the Apple & Eve portfolio of brandsand later advanced to Senior Director and Portfolio Business Management.
She has extensive experience in the food and beverage marketing industry. She worked at Kraft Foods from 2009 to 2015 in brand management on a wide array of brands including Kool Aid, Crystal Light, MiO and Stove Top. Prior to that, she started her career in consumer-packaged goods as an Account Manager in the advertising agency world.
She holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Stern School of Business, New York University and a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University.
President, A. Lassonde Inc.
Claire Bara has been the President of A. Lassonde since June 2021. In this capacity, she manages the commercial activities of the A. Lassonde division, which develops, manufactures and markets ready-to-drink juices and drinks for the Canadian market. She also heads the Arista Wines division in Quebec. Ms. Bara joined the organization in 2019 as Executive Vice President and General Manager of A. Lassonde.
Throughout her career, she has held a variety of roles in the areas of commercialization and marketing. She has worked for many large Canadian retail companies, such as Sobeys Inc., Quebecor, Rona and Lowe’s. She also has experience in the consumer goods manufacturing industry, having worked for Molson Coors.
Ms. Bara holds degrees in marketing and administration from the University of Humberside in the United Kingdom and HEC Bordeaux.
President, Snacks Division
Ms. Lesli Bradley is President of the Lassonde Snacks division since 2021. In this role, she is responsible for leading the snack portfolio, as well as overseeing the Sun-Rype plants in Selah and Wapato Washington. Previously, she was the Chief Executive Officer and President of Sun-Rype Products Ltd.
She has over 25 years of experience within the food, beverage and brewing industries. She held a variety of roles with increasing scope and responsibility at Labatt Brewery and InBev North America before joining Sun-Rype in 2006. During her time with Sun-Rype, she has held roles including Plant Manager and Vice President of Operations.
Ms. Bradley completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Management Degree from University of Phoenix as well as a Biological Sciences Food Technology Diploma with Honours from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She is also a member of the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC Board of Directors.
President, Private Label, Lassonde Pappas and Company, Inc.
Amanda Burns is President, Private Brands at Lassonde since 2023. In this role, she oversees the sales and operations of Lassonde’s U.S. private label subsidiary. Prior to joining Lassonde, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Sun-Rype from 2012 to 2019, when Lassonde acquired the business. She continued with the entity until 2021, and then served as Senior Vice President, Finance for Lassonde Pappas & Company and Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, North America.
Ms. Burns has over 20 years of accounting and management experience. Previously, she served as Controller for Syntroleum in Oklahoma and began her career with Grant Thornton.
She holds CPA designations in Oklahoma and Canada. She completed a Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting and a Master of Accountancy from the University of Oklahoma.
President, Lassonde Specialties Inc.
Vito Monopoli is President of Lassonde Specialties since 2021. Lassonde Specialties is a division specializing in the manufacturing and marketing of food products and includes two plants located in Boisbriand and Saint-Damase.
Vito joined the Lassonde family in 2007, when the Society acquired Mondiv, which he co-founded in 1992. He then served as Vice President and General Manager of Lassonde Specialties until his appointment as President.
He holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from Concordia University and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from McGill University. He is also a certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt.
Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Pierre-Paul Lassonde
Industries Lassonde Inc.
Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors
Nathalie Lassonde
Industries Lassonde Inc.
President, Audit Committee
Chantal Bélanger
Company Director
President, Human Resources and Compensation Committee
Paul Bouthillier
Company Director
President, Corporate Governance Committee
Denis Boudreault
Company Director
Director
Luc Doyon
Company Director
Director
Pierre Lessard
Company Director
Director
Nathalie Pilon
Company Director
Director
Michel Simard
Company Director