Chris Olthoff joins Nichols as Vice President of Operations

As we continue to grow with both acquisitions and organic sales, the Nichols Board of Directors has expanded the leadership team to include the addition of a Vice President of Operations. Nichols is proud to announce that Chris Olthoff joined the Nichols team effective Tuesday May 28 as our new Vice President of Operations.

As VP of Operations, he will lead the Nichols distribution teams (drivers and warehouse) and the supply chain management teams (merchandising, purchasing, and customer service). As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, Olthoff’s expertise will be extremely valuable in crafting and implementing strategic initiatives that support Nichols’ vision, culture and mission.

The leadership team is already enjoying Olthoff’s fresh perspective and the refined skills that his professional experience brings. Hospitality is an industry that truly promotes You First (the Nichols’ tag line), and he spent over 20 years in luxury hospitality, opening and operating hotels in some of the most discerning markets. His career has evolved through hotel operations and corporate operations, and he has led various large-scale projects including hotel pre-opening, hotel acquisitions, budgeting, and brand standards.  Olthoff was also the project lead in designing and installing hotel wide IT property management systems in nine properties. Most recently, Chris served as the Corporate Director of Operations for a family-owned hospitality corporation in New York City and has spent the past five years as a member of the Nichols Board of Directors.

“Gaining the perspective that Chris will bring is an exciting evolution of our leadership team,” said Kevin Rahrig, COO. “In having a second generation of Olthoffs actively leading the Nichols team, we are really engaging and reinforcing the Nichols commitment to our customers and our four squares – Career, Family, Community and Health.”

Nichols has been a preferred distributor to the industrial, food processing, education, building service contractors, healthcare and hospitality industries since 1936. Our passionate associates are creative problem solvers that provide solutions for clean and healthy facilities and the safe shipment of products through the promise of I.K.E., Innovation, Knowledge and Excellence. Based in Norton Shores, MI with branch locations in Grand Rapids, Greater Detroit, Holland, Traverse City, Bowling Green and Cleveland, OH, Ft Wayne and Indianapolis, IN and Decatur, IL.