Tom Hotard Named Chief Engineering Officer for Ali Group and Welbilt
VERNON HILLS, Ill. (August 20, 2025) – Ali Group, the largest and most diversified global leader in the foodservice equipment industry, today announced the promotion of Tom Hotard to the role of Chief Engineering Officer for Ali Group and Welbilt globally, effective September 1, 2025.
Hotard joined the Ali Group in 2010 as Vice President of Operations and Development at Beverage-Air. Since then, he has held various positions, including Executive Vice President of Beverage-Air, President of H.C. Duke & Son, LLC/Electro Freeze and Executive Vice President, Ali Group and Welbilt.
In this position, Hotard will be responsible for advising Ali Group and Welbilt companies on operations and engineering issues and initiatives, while also interfacing with Group brands globally to provide manufacturing process and engineering support.
Filippo Berti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ali Group, said, “I am very pleased to announce Tom Hotard’s promotion to this position. He has demonstrated exceptional leadership, deep industry expertise and a proven ability to drive innovation and operational efficiency across multiple businesses and categories.”
About the Ali Group
Founded in 1963, the Ali Group is a global corporation headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its European corporate office located in Milan, Italy. Through its subsidiaries, the company designs, manufactures, markets and services a broad line of commercial and institutional foodservice equipment used by major restaurant and hotel chains, independent restaurants, hospitals, schools, airports, correctional institutions and canteens.
The Ali Group and its more than 110 global brands employ approximately 14,500 people in 30 countries and, in terms of sales, is the world’s largest group in this industry. It has 76 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries and sales and service subsidiaries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, South America, and Asia Pacific.
For more information on Ali Group products and services, visit www.aligroup.com.
Media Contact
Ryan Blackman
Ali Group
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
(847) 215-5090
rblackman@aligroup.com
Hotard joined the Ali Group in 2010 as Vice President of Operations and Development at Beverage-Air. Since then, he has held various positions, including Executive Vice President of Beverage-Air, President of H.C. Duke & Son, LLC/Electro Freeze and Executive Vice President, Ali Group and Welbilt.
In this position, Hotard will be responsible for advising Ali Group and Welbilt companies on operations and engineering issues and initiatives, while also interfacing with Group brands globally to provide manufacturing process and engineering support.
Filippo Berti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ali Group, said, “I am very pleased to announce Tom Hotard’s promotion to this position. He has demonstrated exceptional leadership, deep industry expertise and a proven ability to drive innovation and operational efficiency across multiple businesses and categories.”
About the Ali Group
Founded in 1963, the Ali Group is a global corporation headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its European corporate office located in Milan, Italy. Through its subsidiaries, the company designs, manufactures, markets and services a broad line of commercial and institutional foodservice equipment used by major restaurant and hotel chains, independent restaurants, hospitals, schools, airports, correctional institutions and canteens.
The Ali Group and its more than 110 global brands employ approximately 14,500 people in 30 countries and, in terms of sales, is the world’s largest group in this industry. It has 76 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries and sales and service subsidiaries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, South America, and Asia Pacific.
For more information on Ali Group products and services, visit www.aligroup.com.
Media Contact
Ryan Blackman
Ali Group
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
(847) 215-5090
rblackman@aligroup.com