ROUGEMONT, Quebec, Feb. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lassonde Industries Inc. (TSX: LAS.A) ("Lassonde" or the "Corporation") announced today the appointment of Francis Trudeau as Executive Vice-President Finance, effective March 16, 2026. This nomination is part of a phased leadership transition that will culminate with Mr. Trudeau being appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation on May 19, 2026. He will succeed Éric Gemme who will be retiring from Lassonde on June 19, 2026. As previously announced, Mr. Gemme will be working closely with Mr. Trudeau to ensure a seamless transition.
Mr. Trudeau is an accomplished and talented financial executive with more than 25 years of experience in corporate finance with dynamic, growth-oriented companies. He was Vice-President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer at BrainBox AI Inc., a Montreal-based AI company now part of Trane Technologies, for five years, overseeing global financial strategy and operations including mergers and acquisitions, financing, treasury, reporting, risk management, and taxation. Prior to his current tenure, he was the Chief Financial Officer at LGI Healthcare Solutions. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles with Plus Company (previously Cossette), Wise Blackman LLC, CGI Inc., and Arthur Andersen LLP.
Mr. Trudeau holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) and Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) designations. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University, a Graduate Diploma in Public Accountancy from Concordia University and a Master of Business Administration from Université Laval.
"I am very pleased to welcome Francis to the executive team at Lassonde," said Vince Timpano, Chief Executive Officer of Lassonde Industries Inc. "He brings significant leadership skills and a robust background in corporate finance, strategic planning and corporate development, operations, as well as proven experience managing complex environments. These qualifications will be essential for supporting profitable growth and achieving our long-term objectives. We look forward to working closely with Francis while upholding our dedication to successfully implementing our business strategy."
About Lassonde
Headquartered in Canada and with operations across North America, Lassonde Industries Inc. is a leader in the food and beverage industry in North America. The Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets a wide range of national brand and private label products, including fruit juices and drinks, specialty food products, and fruit-based snacks. Lassonde also manufactures and markets cranberry sauces as well as selected wines, ciders and other alcoholic beverages. Altogether, Lassonde distributes over 3,500 unique products in approximately 200 formats across shelf-stable, chilled, and frozen categories.
The Corporation's go-to-market strategy consists of (i) retail sales to food retailers and wholesalers such as supermarket chains, independent grocers, superstores, warehouse clubs, convenience stores, and major pharmacy chains and (ii) food service sales to restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools, and wholesalers serving these institutions.
Lassonde operates 19 plants located in Canada and the United States through the expertise of over 2,900 full-time equivalent employees. To learn more, visit www.lassonde.com.
