Vestis Announces Key Leadership Appointments
Rod Wedemeier named Chief Human Resources Officer
Wendy Zacchio appointed Chief Information Officer & Chief Digital Officer
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vestis Corporation (NYSE: VSTS) (“Vestis” or the “Company”), a leading provider of uniforms and workplace supplies, today announced the appointments of Rod Wedemeier as Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), effective October 27, 2025, and Wendy Zacchio as Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Digital Officer, effective October 8, 2025.
Mr. Wedemeier is an accomplished human resources executive with over 25 years of experience leading HR strategy, organizational transformation, and talent development at Fortune 500 companies. He has a proven track record of aligning people, culture, and business priorities to drive performance, and has guided organizations through large-scale change, periods of growth, and complex restructurings. As CHRO, Mr. Wedemeier will oversee talent management and acquisition, organizational development and culture, learning and development, HR strategy and operations, total rewards, labor relations, and communication.
Ms. Zacchio is a strategic technology executive with more than 25 years of experience. She has led global IT strategy, digital transformation, and large-scale modernization across the financial services, healthcare, and insurance industries. In her new role as CIO and Chief Digital Officer, Ms. Zacchio will oversee AI capabilities and digital enablement, enterprise platforms and infrastructure, data and analytics, cybersecurity, and field technology.
“I’m pleased to welcome Rod and Wendy to Vestis as we continue to take steps to strengthen our foundation and optimize the enterprise,” said Vestis President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Barber. “Rod is an accomplished HR leader with the experience and insight to help Vestis become an employer of choice through best-in-class recruiting and training. Wendy brings deep technological expertise and vision as we accelerate our digital and IT strategy and modernize our platforms. I look forward to partnering with both Rod and Wendy to strengthen our business, empower our teammates, and deliver the level of service our customers expect from Vestis.”
Mr. Wedemeier joins Vestis from Mohawk Industries, a global flooring leader with 45,000 employees and revenue of approximately $11 billion, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President, Human Resources and CHRO. In his role, he drove executive succession planning, implemented enterprise-wide leadership development programs, oversaw compensation strategy, and built new training programs to support large-scale hiring and productivity initiatives. He also successfully led efforts to streamline global people systems and guided the organization through major structural and cultural transformation. Mr. Wedemeier holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Iowa.
“It’s an honor to join Vestis at such a pivotal moment, and I look forward to helping build a culture of excellence that allows our teammates to deliver results,” said Wedemeier.
Ms. Zacchio most recently served as Enterprise CIO at Zelis, where she was accountable for enterprise platforms, cybersecurity, and global technology needs. Prior, she was CIO of International Markets at Cigna, overseeing technology across more than 30 countries. She has also held senior leadership roles at AIG and The Hartford. Ms. Zacchio holds a Master of Science in Engineering Management and a Bachelor of Science from Southern Methodist University.
“I look forward to accelerating digital transformation and building innovative solutions that empower Vestis’ teammates and customers in this role,” said Zacchio.
Additionally, Vestis announced that Grant Shih, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, has departed the company to pursue other opportunities.
“I want to thank Grant for his leadership over the last few years and his efforts to establish our technology function,” said Barber. “We wish him the best in his next chapter.”
About Vestis®
Vestis is a leader in the B2B uniform and workplace supplies category. Vestis provides uniform services and workplace supplies to a broad range of North American customers from Fortune 500 companies to locally owned small businesses across a broad set of end sectors. The Company’s comprehensive service offering primarily includes a full-service uniform rental program, floor mats, towels, linens, managed restroom services, first aid supplies, and cleanroom and other specialty garment processing.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. All statements that reflect our expectations, assumptions or projections about the future, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, forecasts relating to discussions of future operations and financial performance and statements regarding our strategy for growth, future product development, regulatory approvals, competitive position and expenditures. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “potential,” “outlook,” “guidance,” “anticipate,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “will,” and “believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative versions of such words. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the potential effects of our actions to strengthen our business, processes and service. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may change at any time, and actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those that we expected. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict including, but not limited to: unfavorable macroeconomic conditions including inflationary pressures and higher interest rates; the failure to retain current customers, renew existing customer contracts and obtain new customer contracts, which could result in continued stock volatility and potential future goodwill impairment charges; competition in our industry; our ability to comply with certain financial ratios, tests and covenants in our credit agreement, including the Net Leverage Ratio; our significant indebtedness and ability to meet debt obligations and our reliance on an accounts receivable securitization facility; increases in fuel and energy costs and other supply chain challenges and disruptions, including as a result of ongoing military conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East; implementation of new or increased tariffs and ongoing changes in U.S. and foreign government trade policies, including potential modifications to existing trade agreements and retaliatory measures by foreign governments; increased operating costs and obstacles to cost recovery due to the pricing and cancellation terms of our support services contracts; a determination by our customers to reduce their outsourcing or use of preferred vendors; the outcome of legal proceedings to which we are or may become subject; risks associated with suppliers from whom our products are sourced; challenge of contracts by our customers; currency risks and other risks associated with international operations, including compliance with a broad range of laws and regulations, including the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; increases in labor costs or inability to hire and retain key or sufficient qualified personnel; continued or further unionization of our workforce; our expansion strategy and our ability to successfully integrate the businesses we acquire and costs and timing related thereto; natural disasters, global calamities, climate change, pandemics, and other adverse incidents; liability resulting from our participation in multiemployer-defined benefit pension plans; liability associated with noncompliance with applicable law or other governmental regulations; laws and governmental regulations including those relating to the environment, wage and hour and government contracting; unanticipated changes in tax law; new interpretations of or changes in the enforcement of the government regulatory framework; a cybersecurity incident or other disruptions in the availability of our computer systems or privacy breaches; stakeholder expectations relating to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) considerations which may expose us to liabilities and other adverse effects on our business; any failure by Aramark to perform its obligations under the various separation agreements entered into in connection with the separation; and a determination by the IRS that the distribution or certain related transactions are taxable. The above list of factors is not exhaustive or necessarily in order of importance. For additional information on identifying factors that may cause actual results to vary materially from those stated in forward-looking statements, see the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including “Item 1A-Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in “Item 1A-Risk Factors” of Part II in subsequently-filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise such statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251007437799/en/
Investors
Stefan Neely or Bill Seymour
Vallum Advisors
615-844-6248
ir@vestis.com
Media
Danielle Holcomb
470-716-0917
danielle.holcomb@vestis.com
Source: Vestis Corporation
Released October 8, 2025