James A. Bridgeman Appointed as Vice President Sales Operations at KeHE Distributors

KeHE Distributors has appointed James A. Bridgeman as Vice President Sales Operations. Bridgeman brings more than a decade of experience to the role, including 8 years at Siemens, where a steady climb through sales leadership culminated in the Head of Sales Excellence post.

A Track Record In Sales

Bridgeman joins from Cencora, where they most recently held the same title. That post capped 9 years in the sales function and a career that began in 2013, according to Crustdata people data. At Siemens, Bridgeman advanced from Head of Sales Operations to Head of Sales Enablement and Operations before stepping up to Head of Sales Excellence.

Before Siemens, Bridgeman served as Director of US Field Operations at NuVasive and as Director of Marketing at Cardinal Health. Bridgeman also holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the Charles H. Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University.

Why It Matters For KeHE Distributors

Founded in 1953 and headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, KeHE Distributors supplies natural and organic, specialty and fresh products through a network of 19 distribution centers across North America. Crustdata company data shows a workforce of 4,598, up 5.2% over the past year, with the Operations team growing 15.5% to 2,058 people.

In August 2026 the company secured $1 billion in debt financing, and TowerBrook Capital Partners is listed among its investors. The appointment also keeps leadership close to headquarters: Bridgeman is based in the Greater Chicago Area, home to 848 KeHE Distributors employees.

What's Next

Bridgeman joins a Sales organization of 892 people that has welcomed 35 new members in the past 12 months. The appointment extends a year of senior investment in the commercial team, which also includes a new Vice President of Sales, Business Development. Hiring momentum continues as well, with 49 Sales listings posted over the past 3 months, among them a Director, Inside Sales role.