Nemco Food Equipment Elevates Finance Chief Cory Shank to COO

Nemco Food Equipment has promoted Cory Shank from Vice President of Finance to Chief Operating Officer, handing day-to-day control of the company's internal processes and supply chain to an executive who has already been close to its numbers.

The move, announced by the third-generation, family-owned manufacturer of commercial foodservice equipment, puts a finance-track operator in charge of the parts of the business that most directly shape cost, delivery, and reliability for restaurant operators who buy the company's equipment.

Shank's new portfolio covers the operational core: internal processes and supply chain management. The company says his focus will fall on three fronts — strengthening efficiency, aligning internal resources, and positioning Nemco to support its long-term business objectives.

For a foodservice equipment supplier, that's not a ceremonial title. Supply chain management sits at the center of what operators actually experience: lead times on fryers, warmers, and prep gear, and how consistently a manufacturer can deliver when a chain opens units on a schedule.

Who keeps the strategy seat?

The split at the top is clean. Luke Moffatt continues as President of Nemco, holding responsibility for overall business strategy, market expansion, and commercial growth. Shank runs the engine room. Moffatt sets where the company goes; Shank decides how well it runs getting there.

That president-plus-COO structure typically signals a company that has grown complex enough — in product lines, channels, or geography — that strategy and execution can no longer sit comfortably in one job description.

Why the timing matters

The promotion lands in a milestone year. Nemco celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026, and the company framed the leadership change as part of that moment: a commitment to investing in its people, strengthening operations, and building on its legacy.

A finance VP stepping into the COO chair also says something about priorities. When the executive who knows the margins takes over operations, cost discipline and operational efficiency usually move up the agenda together — a combination that matters to operator customers watching their own equipment budgets.

What does this change for operators?

In the near term, likely little that's visible. Ownership stays in family hands, Moffatt remains President, and the announcement carries no changes to product lines, pricing, or distribution.

The longer-term bet is different. Nemco is signaling that it expects growth — and that it wants its internal operations and supply chain hardened before that growth arrives, not after.

For restaurant operators and foodservice buyers, the practical upside would come in the form of a manufacturer better able to deliver on schedule and hold its operational footing as demand scales.

How quickly Shank's operational agenda shows up in lead times and service levels will be the thing to watch as Nemco enters its next half-century.