KFN Announces New Advisory Board Member, Joel Grade ('07), Executive Vice President, Sysco Corporation
About Joel Grade:
Joel was appointed to Executive Vice President – Business Development for Sysco Corporation in December 2020 after serving as Sysco Corporation’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 2015. He is responsible for accelerating both organic and inorganic growth through new business development, including strengthening and accelerating M&A capabilities. Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home.
Joel began his career in the audit practice at Ernst and Young, LLP in 1993. He moved to Sysco as a staff internal auditor in 1996. He has since held a variety of senior finance and commercial roles, including Controller of Sysco Austin in 2000, Chief Financial Officer of Sysco Chicago in 2002 followed by Chief Financial Officer of Sysco Canada in 2007. He was promoted to Sysco’s Vice President of Foodservice Operations and President of Sysco Canada in 2010, Sysco’s Senior Vice President of Foodservice Operations, North Region and Canada in 2012 and Sysco’s Senior Vice President of Foodservice Operations, West Region in 2013. In 2014, Joel served as Sysco's Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Accounting Officer prior to him being named Sysco’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 2015.
Joel earned an undergraduate degree in Accounting and Finance with a specialization in International Business from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA in Finance, Strategy and Marketing from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.