PRIVATE COMPANY CFO OF THE YEAR (LARGE)
Herman Chiu
Santa Monica Seafood
Herman Chiu harnessed his passion for food by supporting and leading the first and only Responsible Sourcing Vendor Program wherein a percentage of their annual seafood purchases is applied toward financially supporting fishery, food safety and education programs. This resulted in the first and only seafood company in the United States to achieve both the internationally recognized FSSC 22000 and ISO 14001 certifications.
Santa Monica Seafood’s foodservice mission is to provide the highest quality and selection of seafood products at fair and reasonable prices while recognizing the importance of conservation and maintenance of a healthy environment. Chiu’s leadership and commitment to sustainable practices helps to continually reduce environmental impact. His strategic involvement in the certification process shows that he is serious about food safety and excellence in seafood for his customers. This along with numerous other certifications shows his lifelong commitment to producing high quality seafood to his customers while being an advocate for the environment.
Under Chiu’s financial stewardship, Santa Monica Seafood continues to be the leader in its field and a full-service fresh and frozen seafood processor and distributor. It is currently the largest seafood only distributor in the Southwestern United States and delivers six days to most areas in the region.
The company offers a wide range of services and maintains a well trained sales and customer service staff available to handle seafood menu needs. The company also employs a full staff of sales and customer service professionals who are available to help with menu planning, order scheduling, par maintenance (including detailed historical reports) and staff education. Additionally, Chiu and the management team oversee retail locations in Santa Monica and Costa Mesa that are open seven days a week.
