Our People
Leadership Team
Meet the dedicated executives guiding Blue Onyx Holding Corp's vision, strategy, and growth.
Executive Biography
Andrew Michael is an accomplished Chairman & CEO with a proven track record of running a family and employee-owned company. Dr. Michael took the role of President and CEO after the passing of his eldest brother, who was predeceased in death by their mother and Father. Dr. Michael has continued to run the company with annual gains in revenue in a highly specific target market of allergen-free and gluten-free baked goods. During Dr. Michael's tenure as President and CEO, he has launched two additional brands, GF Baked and Java Fix. In addition, Dr. Michael has extensive leadership in the field of medicine and public policy administration. Dr. Michael has managed several companies as the Vice President of Michael and Michael, a hard money lender, for several years. With over nineteen years of experience in retail bakery and wholesale bakery experience in the USA and Canada, along with business lending and management in additional other companies, he brings a wealth of expertise to his current role.
Throughout his career, Andrew Michael has demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining a strong family tradition of providing quality baked goods with the most stringent food processing requirements to our customers. He consistently delivers exceptional results while driving Blue Onyx Holding Corp's success. He possesses a unique blend of qualities, allowing him to implement the mission statement of the company through a bottom-up incorporation, starting with the polis (our employees) and incorporating their needs and values into our company's core beliefs.
Dr. Michael's academic education further solidifies his knowledge and proficiency in medicine, business leadership, business and personal psychodynamics, policy administration, and team building. He is dedicated to staying at the forefront of allergen-free and gluten-free baked good trends and innovations, while continuously seeking opportunities for professional growth and development.
In his current role at Blue Onyx Holding Corp, Andrew Michael plays a pivotal part in carrying out the vision of the Board of Directors, while analyzing key performance indicators to monitor the company's continued growth. His leadership and strategic vision have been instrumental in leading the company in two countries. He was promoted to Chairman & CEO in 2025 after delivering and maintaining a positive revenue growth during a global economic decline. He is committed to driving Blue Onyx Holding Corp towards even greater success in the coming years.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Andrew Michael enjoys giving back to the youth of today by teaching our future business leaders at several universities in the New York area. Dr. Michael also enjoys spending time with his family and reading books from his favorite authors.
Senior Leadership
Executive Team
The experienced executives driving Blue Onyx Holding Corp's operations, growth, and culture across North America.
Biography
Maria Bella serves as Chief Financial Officer of Blue Onyx Holding Corp, bringing over two decades of financial leadership to one of North America's premier allergen-free and gluten-free bakery enterprises. In her role, Ms. Bella oversees all financial planning, reporting, risk management, and capital allocation across the company's U.S. and Canadian operations.
Biography
Yihao Cho serves as Chief Operating Officer of Blue Onyx Holding Corp, overseeing the day-to-day operational performance of the company's 292 bakery locations and three production facilities across California, Texas, and North Carolina. Ms. Cho is responsible for ensuring operational excellence, supply chain efficiency, and consistent product quality across all Blue Onyx brands.
Biography
Catherine Espinoza serves as Senior Vice President of USA Finance and Accounting at Blue Onyx Holding Corp, directing all domestic financial operations, accounting standards, and compliance activities. She works closely with the CFO to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the company's financial reporting across its extensive U.S. bakery network.
Biography
Elie Charleston serves as Senior Vice President of Canadian Finance and Accounting at Blue Onyx Holding Corp, managing all financial operations, regulatory reporting, and accounting functions for the company's Canadian business units. Mr. Charleston plays a vital role in ensuring seamless financial coordination between U.S. and Canadian operations.
Biography
Shannon Montgomery serves as Senior Vice President of Product Development USA at Blue Onyx Holding Corp, leading the innovation pipeline for the company's portfolio of allergen-free and gluten-free baked goods. Ms. Montgomery is responsible for ideating, developing, and launching new products that meet the evolving needs of health-conscious consumers across the United States.
Biography
Laila Gurner serves as Vice President of Union Relations at Blue Onyx Holding Corp, managing all labor relations activities across the company's unionized workforce. Ms. Gurner is the primary liaison between company management and union representatives, ensuring that collective bargaining agreements are honored and that a productive, respectful workplace is maintained.
Biography
Carolyn Rhodes serves as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Quality Assurance USA at Blue Onyx Holding Corp, overseeing production operations and quality standards across the company's three domestic manufacturing facilities. Ms. Rhodes ensures that every product leaving a Blue Onyx facility meets the highest standards of safety, consistency, and allergen-free certification.
Biography
Phillip Ratcliffe serves as Senior Vice President of Human Relations at Blue Onyx Holding Corp, overseeing all human resources functions across the company's domestic and international operations. Mr. Ratcliffe is responsible for talent acquisition, employee development, compensation and benefits administration, and fostering a workplace culture consistent with the company's core values.
Biography
The Senior Vice President of International Sales at Blue Onyx Holding Corp leads the company's global sales strategy, developing and executing plans to expand the Blue Onyx brand portfolio into new international markets. This executive is responsible for managing relationships with international distributors, retailers, and foodservice partners across multiple regions.
Biography
Kenneth Bacherski serves as Senior Vice President of Governmental Affairs at Blue Onyx Holding Corp, managing the company's relationships with federal, state, and local government entities across the United States and Canada. Mr. Bacherski is responsible for monitoring legislative and regulatory developments that affect the food manufacturing industry and advocating for policies that support the company's mission.
Biography
Jeannette Bankes serves as Senior Vice President of West Coast Distribution USA at Blue Onyx Holding Corp, overseeing all distribution, logistics, and supply chain operations across the Western United States. Ms. Bankes is responsible for ensuring the timely, efficient, and cost-effective delivery of Blue Onyx products from manufacturing facilities to bakery locations and retail partners throughout the region.