PHILADELPHIA — Amoroso’s Baking Co. has named vice president Jesse Amoroso as president and chief operating officer and interim chief financial officer Kevin Barr as the family-owned bakery’s full-time CFO.

With the move, announced Feb. 18, Amoroso assumes the president’s title from his father Len Amoroso Jr., who continues as co-chairman and chief executive officer. The Philadelphia-based company said Dan Amoroso Jr. remains co-chairman and treasurer.

“After 55 years, Dan and I are both proud and grateful to pass the torch to Jesse, who will continue our family’s legacy and inevitably expand upon it knowing his strong sense of ambition,” Len Amoroso Jr. said.

Founded in 1904, Amoroso’s is known for its Italian-style, hearth-baked bread and rolls that are identified with signature Philadelphia sandwiches such as cheesesteaks, hoagies and roast pork. Its products are available at grocery stores and restaurants.

Regionally, the company’s product lineup includes hearth-baked stick and baguette bread, kaiser and Italian hamburger rolls, and a variety of bagged rolls (Italian, club and kaiser) under the Amoroso’s brand; specialty bagged bread and rolls under the Ginsburg and Richmond brands (rye loaves, dinner and onion rolls, and challah bread); muffins, danish and donuts; and Philly Pretzel Factory soft pretzels. The hearth-baked Amoroso’s rolls, including the bagged varieties, also are sold nationally.

In 2015, Amoroso’s relocated to Bellmawr, NJ, to support improvements in product quality, food safety, manufacturing and distribution. That year, the company launched 151 Foods LLC, the manufacturing entity owned by the Amoroso family that makes Amoroso’s rolls, Ginsburg rye bread and bagels, and products for several other brands.  

A fifth-generation family member, Jesse Amoroso graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a financial analyst at boutique investment bank Financo before formally joining Amoroso’s Baking Co. in 2010. The company said he has since held numerous positions across the organization, including in production, sales and marketing, finance and accounting, and business development.

Amoroso also has been active in the baking industry, having served as co-chair for the NextGen Baker program of the American Bakers Association and on the board of directors for the Independent Bakers Association. Most recently, he became a member of Drexel University’s Food Lab Advisory Council, a food product design and culinary innovation lab in Philadelphia.

“It’s a privilege to carry forward my family’s legacy and collaborate with our dedicated team to guide Amoroso’s into our next chapter, reaching a broader audience of food lovers,” Amoroso said. “We aim to make the Amoroso’s name synonymous with experiences, whether at your local restaurant or eatery, the game, concerts, at home, or wherever people gather to create lasting memories.”

Barr has served as interim CFO of Amoroso’s Baking Co. for the last three years. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, he previously spent more than 14 years at Phoenix Management Services, providing management consulting and investment banking services, primarily to family-owned businesses in the middle market, and filling interim C-suite roles. His tenure at Phoenix includes over six years advising Amoroso’s and 151 Foods.