The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley Promotes Michele Lex and Medhane Kidane to Co-President

Shared Position Combines Expertise in Finance and Sales & Marketing.

The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley announces the promotion of Michele Lex and Medhane Kidane to Co-President, forming the team responsible for the company’s strategic vision and continued growth as the nation’s leading producer of premium fruit purées.

In their shared leadership roles, Lex and Kidane assume responsibility for targeted areas of day-to-day operations – Lex as Co-President and Chief Marketing Officer and Kidane as Co-President and Chief Financial Officer.

As the former Director of Sales and Marketing, Lex has overseen marketing, sales and brand development for more than 40 fruit purées and specialties, including the January 2017 launch of The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley’s newest flavor – Ginger Sour.

In his former role as Director of Finance and Accounting, Kidane has been responsible for all aspects of The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley’s financial operations. He manages a team of finance and accounting professionals in preparing budgets and executive financial packages, working with external auditors, banks and other financial institutions and working with tax CPAs on all tax-related issues.

Lex and Kidane will leverage their in-depth knowledge of The Perfect Purée’s finance and marketing practices to continue making the company’s fruit purées, zests and blends a staple of commercial and residential kitchens and bars throughout the U.S.

“A Co-President management team delivers the balance to grow the business. Michele and Medhane have individual strengths and together present a creative partnership of savviness and sound judgement. As an entrepreneur coming on 30 years, my joy takes root now in sharing a vision and friendship with professional advocates of The Perfect Puree.”
– Tracy Hayward, Founder & Owner of The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

In 2013, Lex assumed management of sales operations, successfully expanding The Perfect Purée’s flavor line-up to include industry trend-setting blends and continually reaching new markets by also expanding the company’s national and international foodservice distribution network of 300-plus partners.

Since joining The Perfect Purée in 2008, Lex has introduced more than 20 flavors, managing all cross-department research and development efforts, packaging, and marketing and sales launch for each new flavor. She has also redesigned the company’s web site to increase visitor traffic, refined the brand and its graphic presentation and focused the company’s trade event and sponsorship presence.

In her marketing efforts, Lex has regularly turned the spotlight of national food and beverage media on The Perfect Purée and built a solid network of key industry influencers including the nation’s top bartenders, chefs and spirit companies.

Lex lives in the Napa Valley with her husband and children. Along with travel and cooking, she is passionate about her work with local charities.

Kidane moved to California from Italy, where he spent three years in Rome and Milan as a senior accountant in the hotel, travel and entertainment industries. He joined The Perfect Purée in 2013 as a finance and sales analyst, bringing with him more than 24 years of experience working in finance and accounting for various industries in his native Ethiopia, Italy and California.

Kidane spent 10 years in the wine industry, starting in 2003 as a credit analyst and staff accountant for the Sonoma wine and spirits company Freixenet USA. He then became a financial analyst and senior commercial analyst at Fetzer Winery and Fetzer Vineyards.

Kidane says his breadth of experience gives him a unique understanding of the critical need for developing financial metrics and executive reporting packages that can be used to assess results and make strategic future decisions.

Kidane resides in Rohnert Park with his wife and children. He volunteers as a mentor for underprivileged youth, tutoring them in math and computer literacy. He also provides free tax preparation for low-income families in immigrant communities.

For more information, please visit PerfectPuree.com.