Michael Mendes is a graduate of UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, receiving an MBA. He is Chief Executive Officer of Just Desserts, a top-tier North American commercial bakery. The brand carries an array of baked goods including premium pastries, cakes, cupcakes, brownie bites, and mini cakes. The company won Top Honors at the IBIE Best in Baking Competition in 2019. It is a customer-forward brand with a vegan line to accommodate customers and a completely nut-free facility.
Michael is an active community member. He sits on the board of Envision Education and is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the City Ballet of San Francisco. He is also involved in Hormel Foods and the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
Prior to starting at Just Desserts, Michael Mendes had various positions at Diamond Foods, Inc. He eventually became president and CEO. Under his leadership, Diamond became a publicly traded company with a broad line of products, including Pringles and Kettle. He reworked the company’s operations and marketing efforts; the company’s 2010 advertisement for its Emerald Mixed Nuts and Pop Secret brands, which ran during Super Bowl XLIV, was named one of the Top 10 Super Bowl ads of all time.