Quinn founder takes on different role as new CEO named

BOULDER — Quinn Foods LLC founder Kristy Lewis is stepping down from the CEO role at the Boulder-based natural-foods company, the company announced Monday.

Lewis will take on the new role of chief visionary officer and chairwoman of the board of the company, which does business as Quinn Snacks.

Mike Keown, former CEO of Honey Stinger, a sports-nutrition brand in Steamboat Springs, has been named Quinn’s new CEO. He has worked in the consumer-packaged-goods industry for 30 years, including stints at Farmer Brothers, WhiteWave Foods and Minute Maid.

“When I first met Kristy, it was clear we shared many of the same values and I was excited to see her vision for the future,” Keown said in a prepared statement. “I could not be more excited to help bring that vision to life, lead the terrific team she put together, and do so in beautiful Boulder Colorado, a town we love!”

Quinn produces a variety of snacks, including microwave popcorn in a bag made from compostable paper; whole-grain, gluten-free pretzels; gluten-free, peanut-butter-filled pretzel nuggets; gluten-free maple-almond-filled pretzel nuggets; and plant-based, Cheezy-filled pretzel nuggets.

Lewis said she’s stepping down to focus on innovation, mission and vision for the company.

“After 11 years of leading Quinn this is a chance for me to lead where my heart is and to exclusively focus on turning Quinn into a company that stands for the greater common good” Lewis said in a prepared statement. “I am beyond grateful to be in a position where my job is to help build Quinn with a primary focus on Being and Doing Better in everything that we do. I am thrilled that Mike believes in our vision, and I am really looking forward to working with him as we continue to lead as innovators and game changers in this space.”

on Facebook on LinkedIn