Utz Announces Board of Director Retirement of Michael Rice
Michael W. Rice has announced his retirement from the Utz Board of Directors, effective August 20. Rice will still take an observer role in Board meetings. Additionally, the company stated that William “B.J.” Werzyn Jr. has been appointed to the Board as a Director, taking up Mr. Rice’s retirement-related vacancy.
“[…] Rice served Utz in numerous roles in a career that spanned well over fifty years. […] Rice formally joined the family business in 1968 and became Executive Vice President in 1970, President and Chief Executive Officer in 1978, and Chairperson and CEO in 1992. In 2012, […] Rice turned the day-to-day senior leadership for the then family-owned company to Dylan Lissette, a fourth-generation family member through marriage. Utz became a publicly traded Company in 2020, after which […] Rice served as a Director and Chairperson Emeritus on the Utz Brands, Inc. Board of Directors,” according to a recent press release.
Rice is recognized for broadening Utz’s product offerings during his time as CEO, including cheese curls, pretzels, and other Salty Snack food subcategories. Rice also spearheaded the company’s rapid geographic expansion outside Utz’s original locations in Central Pennsylvania and Maryland. The proverb “Take care of the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves” is frequently attributed to Rice. Among Utz associates, “Pay attention to the details” has become a recurring motto.
“Mike is a true Utz icon whose contributions to the Company are too numerous to count. What was always clear was Mike’s treatment of the associates of this company as a family. His legacy as one of the true architects of Utz’s amazing success will forever live on. We are thrilled that Mike will continue to participate with guidance and insight to the Utz Board in an observer capacity,” Howard Friedman, Utz CEO, mentioned.
William Werzyn, Jr. (“B.J.”) is the Executive Chairman, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of West Shore Home, LLC. West Shore is one of the largest direct-to-consumer home remodelers in the nation with over 41 locations in 21 states.
“The Board is thrilled to have identified B.J. Werzyn, a Pennsylvania native and business leader, as the replacement for Mike’s Board seat. B.J.’s entrepreneurial background and his technology experience combined with his business acumen, will be an invaluable addition to our Board,” Dylan Lissette, Chairperson of the Utz Board of Directors, added.
Werzyn has served as CEO of West Shore Home, LLC since 2006, and has also served as the company’s Executive Chairman since October 2020. West Shore currently employs more than 3,000 people and has annual revenue of more than USD750m. In 2022, under Werzyn’s leadership, West Shore launched the nonprofit organization, West Shore for Warriors. The mission of West Shore for Warriors is to serve U.S. veterans, active military members, and their families. Werzyn resides in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and received his B.S. from Penn State University in 1999.
