Demone back in as High Liner CEO

Henry Demone, who served as High Liner Foods’ CEO from 1992 to 2015 and as its current chairman of the board, has been appointed as the company’s CEO once again. 

Keith Decker, who was named CEO in 2015, is leaving the company, the Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, Canada-based supplier of several major frozen seafood brands said in a statement. High Liner did not give a reason for Decker’s departure.

"The Board and I are confident that the Company is pursuing the right strategy to grow our business and create long-term shareholder value," Demone said.  "As CEO, I am looking forward to working more closely with the High Liner Foods leadership team on the execution of this strategy and on pursuing our growth opportunities.”

Demone will remain chairman of the board as well.

High Liner executives began succession planning discussions back in 2013 with Demone at the helm, before welcoming Decker into the company’s CEO seat in 2015. 

"Succession planning has been a top priority for High Liner Foods over the last several years,” said David Hennigar, the chairman of the board for High Liner at the time of Decker’s introduction. “Keith’s appointment to president and CEO follows a number of recent changes at the executive level of the company as part of our succession plans to ensure continued strong leadership into the future.”

Meanwhile, under Demone’s previous tenure as CEO, he led High Liner’s transformation from a regional fishing and processing operation to a global seafood procurer and leading supplier of frozen seafood in North America. Demone was also responsible for leading the company through significant growth in shareholder value and played a key role in several acquisitions as CEO, High Liner said.

The company’s High Liner, Fisher Boy, Mirabel, Sea Cuisine and C. Wirthy labels are available in most grocery and club stores in North America. Its High Liner, Icelandic Seafood and FPI labels, along with private label value-added seafood products, are sold by many North American food retailers and foodservice distributors.