Dennis Bee - Planning Manager

When did you start working at Amy's Kitchen?
I started working for Amy's Kitchen in August 1995, when I was 25 years old.

What were you doing before you came to work here?
I previously worked for a sheet metal fabrication shop in Petaluma as an expediter.

How did you get the job?
My wife, while getting her degree from Sonoma State worked part time at the Grateful Bagel where Eleanor (Amy's grandmother) would frequently visit. Somehow the subject of employment was discussed and my wife shamelessly promoted me. (For which I'm grateful) Within a few weeks, Amy's Kitchen had a job opening and I met with Andy, Rachel, & Eleanor in Petaluma. I was terrified but they were very casual and down to earth.

What was your first job at Amy's?
I first assisted in the recipe administration position and then moved become one of only two buyers responsible for all packaging materials. (The other buyer was responsible for all raw materials)

What is your current position?
Currently I'm the Planning Manager responsible for scheduling Production at all facilities. The planning team is also responsible for the distribution of all finished product to third party warehouses, item & recipe administration, and subassembly scheduling.

What is your favorite part of your job?
The challenges of new product production and the balancing of production/distribution/inventory demands are some favorite parts of my job and the most challenging. My co-workers are also very pleasant to work with and dedicated to making my job much easier.

What changes have you seen at Amy's since you have started?
Amy's Kitchen has seen extraordinary growth since I started with entirely new frozen product groups such as pocket sandwiches, pizzas, & bowls and the introduction of dry products of soups/chilis, pasta sauces, and salsas. We have added 2 new production facilities and the number of employees have increased from 130 in 1995 to over 1500 today.

I've seen the company grow more disciplined with our processes yet we still have tremendous flexibility and can react to changes very quickly.

What do you do when your not at work?
These days I enjoy traveling, music, and spending my time with my wife and 2 sons. When I was younger, I had fun playing guitar in several rock bands and even had several opportunities to tour seeing parts of the country that were off the beaten path.

What is your favorite Amy's Product?
Choosing a single product is very difficult but one would have to be The Cheese Enchilada. Delicious! My other favorites that I can't help but mention are the Indian Mattar Paneer, Cheese Tamale Whole Meal, Nacho Snacks, and Spinach Pizza. (Cheese is clearly a theme) They are all incredible!