Selim A. Bassoul Chairman & CEO The Middleby Corporation

Professional

Selim Bassoul started his career at Ernst & Young with one year in the Middle East, and then came to the United States to attend Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Before entering the foodservice industry, Mr. Bassoul worked in the healthcare industry for eight years for American Hospital Supply and Baxter Healthcare in various positions including mergers and acquisitions, corporate planning, and regional director in the Middle East and Africa.

Prior to joining Middleby, Mr. Bassoul worked for eight years in commercial food equipment for Premark, Inc., a unit of Illinois Tool Works, as director of marketing, general manager of the Cook-Chill division and vice president of sales for the Vulcan Cooking Division.

Selim Bassoul has been president and chief executive officer of The Middleby Corporation since 2000 and became chairman of the board in 2004. He joined Middleby as president of the Southbend division in 1986 and then was promoted to the post of Middleby’s chief operating officer in 1999. Other achievements included contributing editor, Journal of Business Strategy; speaker on global marketing at the Conference Board; developer of the Riskette financial modeling system; and Exsys software for international distribution.

Mr. Bassoul has always had a “people first” philosophy. While in North Carolina, he opened the Southbend plant to the public to serve hot meals following a 1998 hurricane. After Katrina, Middleby’s Blodgett division was first on the scene with oven donations to the Red Cross and mobile hot meals for hurricane victims.

Education

Mr. Bassoul received a B.A. in business administration with distinction from the American University of Beirut where was the recipient of the David Dodge Scholar Award. He earned his M.B.A. in finance and marketing in 1981 from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He also holds a certificate in accounting.

Memberships & Affiliations

• Member, Young Presidents Organization (YPO)
• Board Member, Holy Spirit University Foundation
• Member, Board of Directors, New Piper Aircraft, Vero Beach and Confluence Watermark, Greenville, SC
• Member, Dean’s International Council, Harris School of Public Policy Studies, University of Chicago

Personal

Mr. Bassoul has received numerous awards and recognitions, including:

• 2007 Lead Judge, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
• 2006 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, national and regional award judge
• 2006 Inductee, Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame
• 2005 Young Presidents Organization International Legacy Award
• 2005 American Business Award (Stevie) Finalist
• 2005 Distinguished Friend of Education Award, Elgin Community College
• 2004 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
• 2003 City of Burlington Award for Corporate Philanthropy
• 2003 Philippines Economic Zone Authority for Corporate Philanthropy
• 2003 International Business Award of Excellency, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
• 1999 MSNBC “Champion of Industry”
• 1998 North Carolina Award for Corporate Citizenship
• 1996 Honor Roll Award for R & D, Institutional Distribution Magazine
• 1994 Leadership Award, Premark
• 1993 Executive of the Year, Supply & Equipment Foodservice Alliance