Management Team

In-Soo Cho, President and Chief Executive Officer

In-Soo Cho is President and Chief Executive Officer of StarKist Co.  Born and raised in Korea, Cho obtained his college degree and worked in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  He later received his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.  Cho was named President and Chief Executive Officer for StarKist Co. in March 2011.   

A seasoned and well-respected professional with more than 30years of experience, Cho is an outstanding leader who has studied, lived and worked in four continents. He has held senior management positions in consumer packaged goods and the restaurant industry, and brings a wealth of experience related to business development and start-up operations in international markets.  

Before coming to StarKist, Cho was the principal of his own consulting firm, Insight & Strategy Co., with a focus on consumer goods and the restaurant industry.  In addition, he was an investor, advisor and director of several companies and private equities.  Prior to that, Cho worked for Yum Restaurants International (YRI) from 1997-2008, where he held a number of positions including President, Pizza Hut Korea; Chairman, KFC Japan Board of Directors in Tokyo; Board Member, Pizza Hut UK in London and Chief Marketing Officer, Senior Vice President, YRI in Dallas.  Cho also worked for Procter & Gamble from 1984-1997, where he began his brand management career and worked in its operations in Switzerland, the United States, Korea and Japan. 

Stephen L. Hodge, Senior Vice President, Sales 

Steve is Senior Vice President, Sales of StarKist Co.  He earned his Bachelor of Science as well as Masters in Business from California Coast University. Steve has over 26 years in the Grocery and Seafood industries. He began his career at Dixon Marketing, Inc., a military food broker in Kinston, NC as a field sales rep. While progressing through the organization, he ascended to Vice President National Accounts & Business Planning where he managed all sales activity at the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA).  Steve also spent two years as Vice President Exchange Division running all sales and operations for the organization.

Steve moved to Pittsburgh in 1998 to work for H.J. Heinz Co. managing StarKist as well as other Heinz business for their military group.  In 2007, Steve moved to Grand Rapids MI where he was the Team Leader for Del Monte at Meijer where he led the team to double digit sales and profit growth for both years there.  In Sept 2008 he was promoted to Director Field Sales – StarKist and led the sales group for StarKist as well as the liaison role between StarKist and Del Monte.  He moved over to StarKist directly as the Senior Vice President, Sales in 2010.

C. Thomas Hyun, Senior Vice President, Finance

Thomas Hyun is Senior Vice President, Finance of StarKist Co. Thomas earned his B.A. in Accounting at the University of Texas at Austin, and MBA from the Seogang University in Seoul, Korea.

Thomas practiced his CPA in Rockville, Maryland before he joined the Coca-Cola Company in Seoul, Korea. With Coke, Thomas had various roles and responsibilities in Finance – financial analysis, business restructuring, treasury, planning and budget. He then moved to the Headquarter office in Atlanta, Georgia to assume the role of Financial Service for Middle East and Asia Pacific Group. Thomas was reassigned in Seoul as Korea Region CFO while concurrently worked as General Manager of the Guam and Micronesia Region. He assumed the role as Deputy CFO for the South Pacific & Korea Division overseeing Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Pacific Islands, and Korea. During that time, He served the Coca-Cola Youth Foundation that promotes health & wellness activities and programs for youth in Korea. Then Thomas made a move to LG Display as VP in Seoul, Korea to lead the Innovation project while concurrently in charge of Investor Relations.

Kyedong Kim – Senior Vice President, Internal Audit

Kyedong Kim is Senior Vice President, Internal Audit of StarKist Co.  A native of South Korea, Kyedong attended the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies located in Seoul, South Korea, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics.

For nearly thirty years before joining StarKist Co., in 1980, Kyedong was employed in the investment department of the Korea Development Bank (KDB) as a loan administrator.  From 2002 to 2006, Kyedong served as the Head of Structured Finance in the Global Banking Department, International Finance Division of KDB.  He then moved to the United States and held the position of General Manager for the New York Branch of KDB from 2006 to 2009. In April 2009, Kyedong earned an award in recognition of his thirty year-long service from the Governor of the Korea Development Bank.

While in New York, Kyedong served as Vice Chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the USA (KOCHAM).  In February 2009, he received an award for his meritorious service from the Chairman of KOCHAM.  He was also a member of the Board of Directors for The Korea Society from 2006 to 2009.  Most recently, in January 2009, he received an award for meritorious deed from the Minister of Ministry Strategy and Finance of the Republic of Korea.

Patrick M. Moody, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain

Pat is Senior Vice President, Supply Chain of StarKist Co.  He is from Kankakee, Ill. and earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Eastern Illinois University. Pat has close to 30 years in the Pet Food and Seafood industries. He began his career at the Heinz pet food manufacturing facility in Kankakee, Ill as a manufacturing cost analyst. While in Pet Food, he gained valuable experience in operations and headed up numerous plant expansion and rationalization projects. He was the recipient of the Pet Division President’s Award for his design of the manufacturing cost system used in all pet manufacturing facilities at that time.

In the year 2000 after 19 years in pet foods operations, Pat moved to Pittsburgh to head up the StarKist Finance group and played a key role in launching the StarKist Flavor Fresh Pouch, LTG’s, and Tuna Creations.  In 2005, Pat took on added responsibility as the Vice President Finance for StarKist, Pet Food, and Private Label soup businesses.  In 2006, Pat moved back to operations as the Vice President, Operations Finance, with responsibility for all of Del Monte Foods supply chain (including StarKist).  In 2010, Pat was appointed as Senior Vice President, Supply Chain.

Melissa Murphy, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs/Human Resources

Melissa Murphy is Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs/HR of StarKist Co.  Her career in public relations began shortly after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing and minors in Business, Communications, and English Literature.  She gained valuable experience in the consumer packaging goods industry at several public relations firms before becoming Vice President, Group Manager of Ketchum Public Relations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1995.  Melissa managed Ketchum’s Brand and Food & Nutrition Practice areas, developing new product launch campaigns, coordinating special events, and monitoring several brands, including StarKist and other Heinz Brands.

In 2003, Melissa made the move to Del Monte Foods to become Vice President, Corporate Communications.  She built the Del Monte brand both internally and externally, developing a new mission and vision for the Company and leading employee communications.  Melissa managed the launch of StarKist Tuna Creationswhile leading brand media strategies and relations for Del Monte Foods.  Melissa joined StarKist in 2008 as the Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs/HR where she oversees government relations, human resources, media relations and consumer affairs.