Left: Jim Leonard Right: George Bennett

S. Abraham & Sons (SAS) has announced the retirement of its chief operating officer, Jim Leonard, and the promotion of George Bennett to president.

Leonard began his career with SAS in 1988 working with the Abraham Seniors in all facets of the company, including vice president, administration and chief financial officer. In 2019 Leonard was promoted to chief operating officer, leading SAS to continued growth and expansion.

“With Jim’s retirement, we are losing a stable force inside our company, but it is a privilege to see one of our most key employees retire on their own timeframe. Jim deserves all the accolades and has left SAS in a better place than when he started,” Wayne Baquet, CEO and president of Imperial Trading Co., said.

Along with Leonard’s retirement, SAS has promoted George Bennett to president.

Bennett began his career with SAS in 2010 as vice president of sales and was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing in 2014 and chief marketing officer in 2019. Prior to joining SAS, Bennett worked for Anheuser-Busch for 13 years holding various titles and job responsibilities.

“George has earned and deserves this opportunity to lead SAS by serving every stakeholder. With confidence, I believe George will not only be successful but will grow even further in his new role. I expect George to do great things and will challenge me to keep pace with his vision,” said Baquet.

Imperial Trading Co. and S. Abraham & Sons Inc. provide marketing, distribution and technology solutions to convenience retailers. Their service area extends from the U.S. and Canada border to the Gulf of Mexico, where they service over 5,000 retail locations. Imperial Trading Co. and S. Abraham & Sons Inc. also have six distribution centers servicing 21 states headquartered in Elmwood, La.