Empowering Women, Inspiring Change: BBI Celebrates Women's History Month and International Women's Day

Each March, we celebrate National Women's History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8th): a chance to recognize and honor women's achievements throughout history and in our community that continue to help pave the way for our future. 

At BBI, we are committed to creating a diverse, supportive, and equitable environment at every level of our company where women can thrive and reach their full potential. We like to recognize the resilience, strength, and determination of those who have broken barriers, shattered stereotypes, and overcome tremendous obstacles to succeed. 

Below we proudly spotlight some extraordinary women who make BBI’s success possible and drive innovation. ‍

Happy International Women's Day!

MEREDITH HOLT SHAW
‍SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT - CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS

Meredith joined the BBI team in July 2022 as Senior Vice President of Client Development. She leads the team engaged in all aspects of supporting our well-established and new clients. Meredith works side-by-side with our sales team, nurturing and developing relationships with the mutual goal of meeting revenue and growth targets.

She graduated with an Economics degree from the University of North Carolina and has spent much of her career in the confection industry working for multiple manufacturers.

"It's an honor and privilege to have had the opportunity to work in the confection industry throughout my career. I am an in a particularly exciting role at BBI, supporting our clients and sales teams in achieving mutual goals and objectives. Our industry continues to excite and engage our consumers with fun and innovative products that are a "treat" to support and sell!" - Meredith Holt Shaw

JODY MATTSON
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE - SPECIAL MARKETS

Jody joined BBI in 2022 as Account Executive for Special Markets. She has over 25 years of experience in the Hardware channel and has worked with most national retailers. Her expertise allows her to involve more vendors in this category successfully.

Jody has a bachelor’s degree in Biological Science from the University of Minnesota.

I am very happy to be with a company that is supportive of its employees and has the resources and tools I need to execute my job successfully. Having a management team that is so supportive, positive, and willing to get their hands dirty to get things done is rare these days, and that is what sets BBI apart in the industry. I truly believe that we are an asset to the clients and communities we serve. - Jody Mattson

ASHLEY MARCELLUS
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE - C-STORE

Ashley started at BBI in November 2017 as an Account Executive for the C-Store channel. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and a Minor in Marketing from the University of South Florida.

She is always seeking innovative ways to contribute to the industry. One of her greatest achievements happened when trade shows were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She created a virtual trade show vehicle called “BBI’s Early Access Box,” offering a sneak peek of manufacturer’s items with product samples, deal sheets, and links to short videos.

Ashley led the traditional sales and trade show process into an innovative and disruptive solution, earning the prestigious recognition of “Most Influential Women in Convenience Service” by Automatic Merchandiser.

Working for BBI has cultivated my passion for the confection industry! These past 5 years have inspired me to think outside the box and further develop my sales skills. Also, being a part of such a great company is the cherry on top! - Ashley Marcellus

ALYSSA RUGGIERI
DIRECTOR - SPECIAL MARKETS

Alyssa joined BBI in 2018 as an Office and E-commerce Specialist. She has successfully led the company’s omni-channel content media, advertising, and product search endeavors. Her contribution has been instrumental in bolstering the company’s presence in the retail and contract business. Along with her many years of experience,

Alyssa holds a master’s degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix and a B.A. in English Communications at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI.

There’s no better place to work than at BBI. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of such a wonderful company where I do a job that I absolutely love alongside people I admire and care about so much. - Alyssa Ruggieri

SAMANTHA SKUDERA
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE - SPECIAL MARKETS

Samantha started at BBI in 2017 as Sale Support Administrator for Special Markets. Over the years, her account coverage has expanded into multiple segments resulting in her promotion to Account Executive in 2019.

Samantha graduated in 2015 from Montclair State University in New Jersey with a bachelor's degree and obtained her Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida in 2019.

"Working for BBI in the Candy & Confectionery Industry is like in the words of Forrest Gump; “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get.” Each day is a new opportunity for me to work through and learn something new!" - Samantha Skudera

AMY SLUSHER
REGIONAL MANAGER - UNATTENDED RETAIL

Amy started at BBI in 2010 as an Account Executive for the Vending channel - Midwest, where she earned extensive experience and built strong relationships with operators and manufacturers. She was promoted on September 2022 to Midwest Regional Manager for the Unattended Retail channel, previously known as Vending, where she continues to grow and contribute to the confectionery industry alongside an amazing team.

Amy continues to meet with operators and is the line lead for multiple manufacturers.

“I am beyond grateful for the opportunities and memories provided as a result of working for a family-focused company such as BBI.” - Amy Slusher‍

BRANTLEY TAYLOR
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE - VALUE

Brantley started with BBI in 2020 as an Account Executive for Value, specifically focusing her efforts on Family Dollar. She is in charge of expanding our snack and beverage businesses and was recently presented with the opportunity to manage our seasonal business at Family Dollar.  

This past summer, Brantley was extended an invitation to work behind the scenes at Haribo’s U.S. headquarters in Rosemont, IL. This allowed her to learn from the manufacturer’s perspective, gain broker insights, and have hands-on experience with key projects.

Brantley received an MBA at her alma mater, Samford University, in December 2022.

“I feel extremely blessed and humbled to work alongside industry all-stars who serve as not only bosses and co-workers but mentors and friends. Being new to the industry can be quite intimidating, but at BBI, you are truly surrounded by the best in the business who want nothing more than to share their knowledge with you, help in any way they can, and strive to see you succeed. Plus, at the end of the day, who doesn’t want to say they sell candy for a living? It’s a “sweet” job!” - Brantley Taylor

TAMMY WHITTEMORE
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER - TELESALES

Tammy joined BBI in May 2014 to open the BBI Telesales office in Appleton, WI.  She set up the office as Vending sales, now known as Unattended Retail, and continually grew into other channels, including, Hospitality, Retail, Fundraising, DSD and Hardware, and Liquor stores.

She has been part of the confectionary Telesales industry for 26 years, either in sales or managing sales representatives. Before this, she worked for 5 years in Photography sales & Customer service. Tammy has managed mostly sales initiatives in confection and dabbled in Advertising, Food Service, Theater, Retail, and Fundraising, focusing on Unattended Retail providing her with the necessary hands-on training experience needed to succeed in her roles.

Tammy currently manages the Telesales team, supplies them with sales support and metrics, manages client interactions and day-to-day customer interactions, and office management. She recently won The Most Influential Women in Convenience Services Award by Automatic Merchandiser.

"BBI has a great reputation, and I appreciate their trust in me to manage the Appleton office. My team is my motivation; nothing compares to our work family!" - Tammy Whittemore

OLIVIA WOLF
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE - SPECIAL MARKETS

Olivia joined BBI in 2022 as an Account Executive for Special Markets, focusing on college, apparel, and department store accounts. She recently celebrated her first anniversary with us. Olivia previously worked at Dylan's Candy Bar, where she found her passion for the candy industry and gained key manufacturers' insights valuable during her transition to a national sales agency.

Olivia holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the University of Maryland.

Working at BBI over the past year has been an incredible experience. I’ve had so much more visibility into the industry, constantly meeting new people and learning new things. I’m glad to be here and excited for what’s to come! - Olivia Wolf‍