"We are extremely excited to welcome Mark to the VSG & Lightning family today," Griggs said. "His wealth of experience and expertise in a wide variety of disciplines will make him an integral part of our leadership team. Mark is an outstanding professional, but he is an even better person that will help us meet goals in all aspects of our business."
"I am honored to be joining the VSG and Lightning organization and the outstanding leadership team that's already in place," said Pitts. "I am privileged to have the opportunity to leverage my experience, expertise and skills to help take the organization to the next level and support their strong values, culture and commitment to excellence."
In his new role, Mr. Pitts will be responsible for the operational management of VSG, working alongside the CEO to provide strategic leadership and development for the senior management team. He will also be charged with identifying new business lines, increasing revenue, and pursuing innovating possibilities to enhance and grow the organization. This commitment extends as well as the community, while helping to maintain organizational core values and meet company goals.
Mark will serve as an integral member of the executive leadership team, leading and driving operational vision, strategy and goals for VSG and the Lightning. As COO, he will work closely with internal and external stakeholders across the organization, including civic and corporate partners, to execute VSG's overall business strategy. This will leverage his experience and expertise to promote and grow the VSG and Lightning brands.
With an expansive resume that spans more than 33 years, Pitts has proven to be a leader at every level, excelling in business development, sales operations, marketing, and operations management. He has worked both domestically and internationally.
Mr. Pitts' career began in 1987 when he joined The Coca-Cola Company where he worked in roles of increasing responsibility across multiple disciplines within the corporate, bottling operations, foodservice, and marketing divisions of The Coca-Cola Company.
His executive level strategic leadership experiences include Vice President, National Sales, Burger King Account Team, Vice President & General Manager, Tea and Coffee Portfolio for Coca-Cola North America, and Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice President and President of the Bottling Investments Group (BIG). The BIG group operated all Coca-Cola Company owned bottling companies in 18 countries, generating $12 billion in revenue and employing more than 65,000 employees.
Mark completed his tenure with The Coca-Cola Company as a member of an elite team that facilitated the transition of processes, resources, tools, initiatives, and communications to support the formation of Coca-Cola Beverages Florida (Coke Florida), the independently owned bottling and distribution company with exclusive sales and distribution rights in Florida. Coke Florida is the fourth-largest black owned business in the United States, the largest in the state of Florida, employing more than 4,600 associates and generating over $1.5 billion in annual sales.
Committed to community service with a legacy of giving back, Pitts' community footprint is extensive including previously serving as Co-Chair of The Coca-Cola Company United Way Campaign and Chair and President of the African American Employee Forum for The Coca-Cola Company. He currently serves on the boards of The Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, The Board of Trustees of Florida Southern College and Feeding Tampa Bay.
Pitts received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems from the University of Oklahoma and his Executive MBA from Emory University.
