Alfred Schwan, a former chief executive of Schwan Food Co. who played a key role in building the firm's frozen pizza business, died Friday at his home in Salina, Kan. He was 85.
Schwan was the oldest of three brothers who devoted most of their professional lives to the growth of Marshall-based Schwan, which was founded by Marvin Schwan in 1952.
Alfred Schwan was a U.S. Navy pilot in the 1940s, and then worked in various jobs in Iowa and Illinois. But as Marvin Schwan's business expanded, Alfred Schwan moved back to Marshall in 1964 to join his brother's company, overseeing factory operations and the sales force of drivers who directly delivered ice cream and other products to customers.
The Schwan company got into pizza in the early 1970s when it bought a small plant in Salina. Alfred Schwan moved there to manage it, and he would later call the spectacular growth of the Salina operation one of his proudest achievements in business.
Today, the sprawling Salina plant produces more than 3 million pizzas a day, and Schwan's brands -- including Tony's and Red Baron -- are among the nation's best-selling frozen pizzas.
When Marvin Schwan died in 1993, Alfred became the company's chief executive and chairman. In the late 1990s, he retired as chief executive, but remained chairman until Jan. 2, 2009.
"Alfred was an iconic, inspirational and charismatic leader who spent more than half his life contributing to the success of the company," Schwan's Chief Executive Greg Flack said.
Schwan's today does more than $3 billion in annual sales, and sells an array of frozen foods through its direct-delivery sales force, grocery stores and food service channels. Alfred Schwan is survived by five sons and his wife of 65 years, Doris.
Mike Hughlett • 612-673-7003
