Four New Sales Reps Join Vollrath

Vollrath Co. is sharing updates among its North American sales organization ahead of the National Restaurant Association Show.

For starters, Jill VanMenxel—an employee since 2005, and currently the director of sales for smallwares and countertop equipment—and Alain Goyette—a 28-year employee, most recently as regional sales manager for Canada—are retiring.

In turn, four new appointments were announced:

• Karl Hinkfuss: Joining as channel sales manager, Hinkfuss has over 22 years of experience from Kohler. His background spans sales, marketing, product development and international expansion. He led Kohler’s largest-ever faucet placement at The Home Depot and launched the company’s first national sink program at Costco. While based in Asia Pacific, Karl established e-commerce operations across eight new markets.
• Jackie Palzkill: As senior sales account manager, Palzkill will take on responsibilities for one of Vollrath’s strategic accounts. She hails from Johnson Controls, where she led sales development and inside sales teams. She holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Marquette University and brings a data-driven, customer-focused mindset.
• Rich Desmond: Desmond will work as sales account manager, bringing over 20 years of experience in the foodservice industry, spanning both food and equipment. He has led major operational efforts, including sales coordination for the PGA Tour Championship and FedEx Cup. He also is active in community service through Habitat for Humanity and has worked as a stand-up comedian, opening for the likes of Tim Allen and Jimmy Walker.
• Scott Porter: Porter, a classically trained chef with 30-plus years’ experience, joins as a sales account manager. He holds the Certified Chef de Cuisine designation through the American Culinary Federation, earned a master’s degree in food science in 2007 and has opened or consulted on 37 restaurants across Canada. He also made appearances on various Food Network shows between 2017–2020.

“These transitions reflect the natural evolution of a high-performing organization,” says Chris Kelm, Vollrath’s vice president of sales, in the release. “We’re incredibly grateful to Jill and Alain for their legacy of leadership, and excited about the energy and ideas Karl, Jackie, Rich, and Scott bring to our sales team. We look forward to everyone meeting the team at NRA.”