Category Archives: The Business of Seafood

Christian Maas Appointed as Seattle Fish Co. President

Seattle Fish Company Appoints Christian Maas as President; Derek Figueroa Announces Retirement

DENVER, CO, (February 15, 2024) – Seattle Fish Co. and Lombardi Brothers Meats have named Christian Maas as the company’s new President, effective March 1, 2024. Maas will succeed Derek Figueroa, who has decided to retire from Seattle Fish Co. and Lombardi Brothers Meats after nearly 34 years of service, effective March 22, 2024.

Derek has fulfilled many roles at Seattle Fish Co. from operations roles in the early 90s to accounting roles in the mid-to-late-90s. In 1999, he became Chief Financial Officer, serving until 2007. In 2007, he became Chief Operating Officer, rising to President in 2017, and then President & CEO in 2021.

Within the seafood industry Derek is widely known as a principled leader and is recognized as a thought leader in seafood, and sustainable practices and initiatives in particular. He is also notable for being a co-founder of the non-profit organization, Sea Pact. He has played many leading roles in industry associations including having served as chair of the National Fisheries Institute and as a board member at the Colorado Restaurant Association, the Colorado Restaurant Foundation, the Seafood Industry Research Fund, Project Angel Heart and the American Culinary Federation. He has also been honored widely including by The Colorado Restaurant Association, The Marine Stewardship Council and Vistage in the last 15 years.

Christian Maas will succeed Derek Figueroa as President starting March 1, 2024. Christian has an early career background in IT and Operations and has been working in President roles since 2011, when he first worked with Richard Harris, who leads Seattle Fish Co. and Lombardi Brothers Meats’ parent company, Founders Group of Food Companies. Christian joined the Founders Group in 2016 where he is a Managing Director and has served as President of three different companies within the group.

On his decision to retire, Derek Figueroa commented: “I’ve been truly fortunate to have found my calling and passion with Seattle Fish Company.  The decision to leave is bittersweet as I truly love the company, the people, our positive impact on the industry and our communities, and have enjoyed the support of Founders and the Iacino family prior.  While my passion and affinity for our business has not waned, I’ve had a dream to start my own business and, while there is no perfect time, this is the right time for me to transition. I have enormous respect for Christian Maas, and he will be an impactful leader as Seattle Fish and Lombardi continue to engage our markets and serve as the preeminent distributor in the Rocky Mountain West.  I will cherish my time at Seattle Fish over the past thirty-four years, the many relationships forged, and I will forever be a champion for Seattle Fish, Lombardi, and Founders”.

On succeeding Derek Figueroa as President, Christian Maas commented: “You must admire Mose Iacino’s passion and determination to bring the freshest highest quality seafood to the Rocky Mountains and build out a multigenerational family business. A large part of that success has been due to the leadership of Derek Figueroa where his expertise and experience has made Seattle Fish one of the largest seafood distributors in the Western United States. With Founders’ most recent acquisition of Lombardi Brothers Meats in 2022, I look forward to working together in creating the foundation for success in the decades to come.”

There are no planned changes in customers’ primary contacts with respect to their business with Seattle Fish Co. or Lombardi Brothers Meats.

Please join us in thanking Derek for all he has done for Seattle Fish Co. over the past 34 years and for his partnership in passing the baton to Christian Maas. He will remain a friend and supporter of Seattle Fish Co., Lombardi Brothers Meats and Founders into the future.