Middleby Taps New President for Pitco Frialator

The Middleby Corp. has promoted Karl Searl from general manager of Pitco Frialator to president of the company.

In this role, Searl will oversee the operations of Middleby fryer brands Pitco, Ultrafryer and Anets, manufactured in Bow, N.H. He will be responsible for the overall strategic direction, day-to-day operations and will direct and oversee manufacturing, sales and marketing, engineering and accounting activities.

“Karl has proven himself a strong and respected leader over the past few years, during a very challenging business environment,” says Steve Spittle, Middleby’s chief commercial officer, in a press release. “His heavy involvement was key in successfully integrating Ultrafryer into the New Hampshire facility. During that transition, his team continued to launch new products, expanding our fryer offerings to meet customer needs. Quickly bringing the latest innovation to market has always been a priority for Karl, and because of that, our fryer brands continue to be sought after and highly respected.”

Searl was named general manager in 2019 and served as vice president of engineering prior to that role. Before joining Middleby in 2017, he worked for Laird Technologies, serving in many leadership roles. He most recently held the title of director of global engineering and oversaw the research and development of wireless RF solutions at their global sites in the U.S. and southeast Asia.