As SYSCO reflects on its 30th anniversary as a public company, it also celebrates the career of retiring Chairman Bill M. Lindig. Mr. Lindig began his career with SYSCO at its formation in 1970 when he was named Executive Vice President of Zero Foods Company, one of the original nine founding companies. He was elected a Director of SYSCO in 1983 and became President of the Foodservice Division in 1984. In early 1985, he was elected SYSCO's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and later that year added to his responsibilities when he became President of the corporation. Mr. Lindig was elected Chief Executive Officer in January 1995 and assumed the position of Chairman of the Board on January 1, 1999.

From the time he assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer until his retirement, SYSCO's sales grew from $10 billion to over $19 billion, and the price of SYSCO's stock increased more than 225 percent. Reflecting on his lengthy career with SYSCO when his retirement was announced in April, Mr. Lindig said, "My long and enjoyable association with both SYSCO and the foodservice distribution industry has been one of the highlights of my life. Having been actively involved in the success of SYSCO and helping our customers create memorable dining experiences for consumers has been most rewarding."

In addition to the tireless efforts he put forth at SYSCO during his three-decade career, Mr. Lindig also has been extremely active in community affairs. In 1999 he and his wife Bobetta established the Lindig Men's Health Center and Resource Library at Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston, Texas, and he currently serves on Memorial Hermann Healthcare System's Board of Directors. Mr. Lindig also is a director of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation and a trustee of Johnson & Wales University.