Jul 18, 2023

Mud Pie president to retire, successor named

Mud Pie‘s longtime president, Fred Pannek, will retire after nearly 20 years of service.

Pannek’s retirement will take place after the summer markets have concluded, and he will stay on in an advisory capacity.

During his tenure, Pannek has played a pivotal role in the success and growth of the company, contributing significantly to its achievements and establishing a solid foundation for future endeavors, according to Mud Pie.

Under Pannek’s leadership, Mud Pie has experienced milestones such as tenfold sales growth, the introduction of sourcing and manufacturing in India, creation of a direct-to-consumer business, and industry awards and accolades, according to the company.

Successor named

Succeeding Pannek in the position of president is Zander Brekke, the company’s current executive vice president and general counsel.

Brekke has been with Mud Pie for more than seven years and has worked to develop the company’s organizational structure, creating standard operating procedures and overseeing all legal aspects of the company. Brekke received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned a Juris Doctor from The George Washington University.

Brekke has also developed the company’s executive team, overseeing sales channels, streamlining distribution center operations, implementing a human resources team and supervising product safety and testing.

In this new capacity, Brekke will oversee each department within the organization and will create and implement strategy.

“Fred’s retirement is bittersweet. He has been my right hand for almost two decades and has helped grow the business to a scale that is greater than I could have imagined,” said Marcia Miller, founder and CEO of Mud Pie. “His well-rounded business background, coupled with his expertise in product development, has proven invaluable, and he has been a trusted advisor and dear friend. I am thrilled that Fred is staying on in an advisory capacity and has been able to spend time mentoring Zander and imparting wisdom on the entire leadership team. I am proud of Zander’s personal and professional development over the last seven years, and have tremendous confidence in his capabilities as president.”