Baldor/Michael Muzyk Endowment Scholarship

ABOUT BALDOR SPECIALTY FOODS
Baldor Specialty Foods (baldorfood.com) is one of the largest distributors of premium fresh produce, specialty foods, dairy, meat and fish in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Beginning as Balducci’s fruit stand in Greenwich Village in 1946, Baldor maintains its original commitment to freshness, flavor, quality and service. Baldor Specialty Foods now services more than 13,000 food service, retail and corporate accounts from Portland, ME to Richmond, VA, and offers over 6,000 food items. The company’s mission is to deliver quality ingredients, innovative solutions and seamless experiences that ensure the success of its partners.

ABOUT MICHAEL MUZYK (CIA ’80)

Michael Muzyk had a distinguished career at Baldor Specialty Foods that spanned three decades, and served as the company’s president from 2005 until his retirement in 2023. His dedication to outstanding service and top-notch product quality has informed Baldor’s mission and direction.

A native New Yorker and a 1980 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Muzyk’s nearly twenty years of experience as a chef for businesses ranging from cruise ships to white tablecloth restaurants earlier in his career informed his work at Baldor and his care for our customers.

Muzyk joined the company in 1995 as a sales representative and served as the Director of Sales. After assuming the title of President, he made it his primary goal to secure Baldor’s reputation as the leading specialty foods distributor on the East Coast. He built Baldor’s food safety program into one of the most highly respected in the country, helped create the Fresh Cuts division, and led the company’s expansion into both Boston, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia and its acquisition of Pierless Fish. As the company grew, he continued to help ensure the success of priority accounts, while advising on sales strategy. Muzyk also played a significant role in the industry and in government affairs. As board chairman of United Fresh Produce Association, he helped drive the merger of United Fresh and PMA to become the International Fresh Produce Association. He also served as a member of the Small Business and Agriculture Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

In his retirement, he enjoys spending time in the South Carolina sun with his family, exploring new flavors in his kitchen, and cheering on Baldor’s continued success.