Richard J. Schnieders

Richard J. Schnieders is an American businessman who is the former chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Sysco.

Early life and education Rick Schnieders grew up in Remsen, Iowa, where his family owned a grocery store. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics from the University of Iowa in 1970.

Career Schnieders began his career in the meat department of a regional grocery store, before moving on to sell meat for a national company, and later serving as the general sales manager for a foodservice distributor. He began working for Sysco in 1982, joining an executive management program at the company's Memphis subsidiary.

After his retirement from Sysco, Schnieders and his wife, Beth, moved to Santa Fe, where they founded MoGro, a mobile grocery store that serves Native American communities in New Mexico. As of 2022, the company operates as a nonprofit. Schnieders also serves on the board of Revolution Foods, and holds community board positions at Save the Children and Stone Barns.

Awards Schnieders was named Hospitality Executive of the Year by the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society in 2006, and inducted into the Penn State Hospitality Hall of Fame.

In 2008, he received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Iowa.