We hear a lot about succession planning and preparing the next generation these days. Garrett Redd, CFSP, is the embodiment of both. 

Redd, 37, grew up in the foodservice industry, watching and later working with his father, who spent 38 years with Hobart. Today, he’s leading Premier into the next era of the business — recruiting fresh talent and maximizing the use of technology. 

But let’s back up a bit. 

After graduating from California Lutheran University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration (he would later earn an MBA from Arizona State University), Redd went to work for Hobart, part of the ITW Food Equipment Group, as a national accounts manager covering the Southwest. During his tenure with ITW, he was a two-time recipient of the Toppers Award for his outstanding sales performance.

After about five years with the company, Redd decided it was time to go off on his own in 2015. “I always wanted to work for a small business,” says Redd, who got his opportunity when he teamed up with a friend to open a restaurant franchise consulting business. “We had clients like Buffalo Wild Wings and would sell franchise licenses to families wanting to buy master rights to expand in Thailand, China and Japan, as an example,” Redd says. 

Little did Redd know at the time that his experience navigating the challenges of running a small business would come in handy later. “You have to be prepared for anything when you are working in a small business,” he says. “We have to be able to shift on a dime. The overall business climate can change rapidly, and we have to be prepared, and strategic, when that happens. Basically, every day brings a new challenge, and a new opportunity, and that’s what I enjoy about working for a smaller company. But it’s also so rewarding to see your business grow, and it was an awesome learning experience for me. I draw on those skills every day.” 

In 2018, Redd was recruited to join Premier, having known the owners from his time at ITW. The California-based rep group was founded in 1998 as Premier Foodservice Group by industry veterans Scott Schumm and Athan Poulos. “The owners were looking for a succession plan and were both essentially ready for the next chapter in the company,” Redd says. “I worked in the business for four years, learning everything I could, and they retired at the end of 2021.” It was then that Redd bought the business and charted a new path forward. 

Growth and Expansion 

Redd, who lives near Premier’s headquarters in Walnut Creek, Calif., sought to expand the company’s territory into Southern California and Las Vegas. In March 2024, he accomplished that goal by opening offices in Orange County. Today, Premier has 14 team members between the offices. 

“We are very focused on our growth in Southern California/Las Vegas and have been fortunate that a lot of changes within the dealer and consultant space have aligned with our focus. We’re trying to create a kind of a one-stop shop for our factory partners and our customers on the West Coast,” says Redd.

While territory expansion remains an important part of Redd’s growth plan, so does a focus on leveraging technology and customer responsiveness. “We are seeing a generation shift where years of product knowledge are exiting companies throughout our industry,” Redd says. “This trend is not only going to continue, it will become a bigger issue as the industry goes forward. It is Premier’s goal to be the product expert to our customer, while providing the expertise in the absolute fastest way possible.

“Our competition is not only our fellow reps, but also the product information the internet contains,” Redd says. “If Premier can’t provide our customers with quick answers, and quick solutions, they will find it somewhere else. Every once in a while, I hear about a customer having trouble getting information on a dish machine for example, and we work to ensure our customer base never experiences that with us. Creating that experience every single day allows us to build trust with partners throughout the channel.”

To keep track of client activity in one place, Redd says he’s doubled down on the firm’s customer relationship management system, using it to track client sales and activities, generate leads, run specific marketing campaigns and more. 

“We know exactly where our customers are, what they’re buying or not buying and we have more information than we had just five years ago,” Redd says. “If sales reps have downtime, they can spend time in the system driving new business.” The approach also helps the company forecast revenue and growth or focus on areas for improvement. “We had a big customer last year who hasn’t bought this year, so we know we need to follow up,” Redd says. “Tracking this way helps us build a better pipeline and forecast. And if a factory is pushing us to sell a certain product, we can also put strategic efforts toward that and track that activity. We work on 90-day goal settings.”

To continue Premier’s growth, Redd has made key hires, moving forward with the plan of hiring the next generation of talent who are in it for the long haul. “We have a very specific person we are looking for as we continue to build out our team,” he says. “We need an unwavering commitment to achieving the companies’ goals while trusting the core process we have in place. We use our CRM to measure individual metrics on a weekly basis and high achievers, as well as self-starters, thrive because we all know exactly where we stand.”

Redd targets employees that will be able to “mesh well with the up-and-coming dealers and consultants.” He adds that they are always asking themselves “How can we respond and provide information quicker than our competitors? How can we be kind of the product experts? As a team, we know we need to stay committed to knowing the products and making sure that our customers are buying the right thing for what they need.”

To keep on top of industry trends, Redd attends conferences and participates in as many networking opportunities as he can. He has also served on the MAFSI board of directors since 2018 and is the treasurer-elect for 2025. “I will be the MAFSI president after Stephanie Perry and Chris East serve their terms. These are two people I have a ton of respect for and have learned a lot from while serving on the executive committee. I have spent the last few years helping with the conference committee and have learned a lot about coordinating an event of that scale.

“This is cliche, but I love the people in our industry, and our team and our customers,” Redd says when asked what gets him out of bed in the morning. “I think we’ve done a great job of creating relationships throughout the whole country and building friendships at the same time with other reps, manufacturers, consultants and dealers.”

Redd also notes that he is extremely competitive. “Some factories maintain leaderboards or will have an incentive trip for good performance. I like to see how we’re measuring up and our rankings. That keeps us thriving, keeps us fresh, and we either get instant gratification or go back to the drawing board — or our CRM, in this case — to see what we can improve. I love the people but also the fast-moving pace of our industry in general.”

What is a lesson learned you have never forgotten?

Always show up. Everyone’s time is important, and continuously respecting commitments is the fastest way to build trust.

What would your team say is your superpower?

I encourage our team to challenge the status quo and to stand firmly once they make a decision. Since this is embedded in Premier’s core, they would say my superpower is my ability to see the field and act quickly and accordingly.

Where or whom do you turn to for inspiration?

My family and my mentors are the first people I turn to. I always look to my family for inspiration on how to carry myself as a person and a leader, and I turn to my mentors when I am looking for advice on a specific situation or even as a monthly check-in.