New head cheese at Bothwell Cheese

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This article was published 09/04/2014 (3862 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After 11 years with Bothwell Cheese, president and CEO Ivan Balenovic announced yesterday his plans to retire this spring. He started with the company in Sept. 2002.

“The company is in really good shape,” Balenovic told The Carillon. “We’ve done so much in the last decade and I’m confident we have the right guys taking over.”

Brothers Kevin and Len Thomson of British Columbia purchased the majority of shares four years ago. They will now acquire the remaining shares from Balenovic to make them the sole owners of Bothwell Cheese.

Kevin has been appointed as the new president of the cheese manufacturer and will take over on June 1. He has been working closely with his predecessor during the past four years and has extensive knowledge of the company and the industry.

Balenovic says there are no changes expected for the company. Employees were told of the leadership change Wednesday morning. With Balenovic at the helm, Bothwell Cheese went from a small regional business to the largest independently owned cheese manufacturer in Canada.

“I have mixed emotions,” said Balenovic about his retirement. “I’ve fallen in love with the business and the people but I’m happy about how I’m leaving things.”