04/30/2026
Early in his career, Bill Lombardo, CEO of MONIN Americas, was perceived as an outlier and a boundary-pusher.
That perception set him on a course to introduce ground-breaking expansions and innovations in America's grocery aisles, restaurants and the foodservice supplier space that are still in place today.
“Understand who you are — what your strength is,” said Lombardo. “Someone recognized that I’m a guy who likes to bend the rules.”
Lombardo was the featured guest at the April 23 Conversation with a CEO event presented by USF Credit Union and hosted by the University of South Florida Muma College of Business at The Tampa Club.
During the hour-long fireside chat, Lombardo shared how he helped General Mills expand into the yogurt market by introducing Yoplait to the "yogurt rejecters" and hired people to hand out free samples and coupons in grocery store aisles — a novel concept at the time.
He also shared how he set the framework for offering free refills and bottomless soups and salads at Olive Garden and how his mother's original soup recipes — minestrone and chicken and gnocchi — are still served in the restaurants today.
✍️Read the full story at https://bit.ly/3QTKVDe