Divert adds to executive team

Divert Inc., a Massachusetts-based food diversion company, has announced the expansion of its executive leadership team with the appointment of four new hires—Andrew Johnston as vice president of industrials, Derek Spillane as vice president of IT, Frenchie Audette as vice president of food service and Lee DeVasier as vice president of transportation and supply chain.  

Divert says Johnston and Audette will spearhead strategy and revenue growth with the company’s industrials and food service customers. Spillane will oversee all aspects of business technology, focusing on IT solutions, data security and digital operations. DeVasier will lead daily execution on transportation and managing the logistics of Divert’s supply chain. 

“We’re deeply committed to hiring exceptional leaders with the expertise, knowledge and agility needed to support us in this next stage of growth,” says Ryan Begin, CEO and co-founder of Divert. “With the additions of Andrew, Derek, Frenchie and Lee, we’ve brought on valuable and diverse perspectives that will expand our food service and industrials business, strengthen IT operations and optimize our transportation and logistics strategies.” 

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Johnston brings more than 15 years of commercial and technical experience from companies in all stages of growth. In his most recent roles, Johnston served as a strategic advisor to venture-funded and privately held technology companies in starting commercial activities and scaling efficiently. He holds a Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Engineering Management, Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Dartmouth College.  

“Eliminating wasted food is among the most profound, tangible and immediate things we can do to reduce emissions, while creating a multitude of other societal and economic benefits,” Johnston says. “Divert has already proven itself as a market leader in partnering across the food value chain at a remarkable scale and level of sophistication. I’m thrilled to join the team to expand our support of our industrial customers, creating novel solutions for a traditionally underserved group of stakeholders and ensuring no food goes to waste, even in the most complex environments.” 

Spillane has more than 26 years of IT industry leadership experience. In his most recent role at Surgalign, Spillane led the global enterprise applications and IT operational teams, delivering innovative and scalable solutions. Spillane holds a Master of Business Administration from the National University of Ireland and a Bachelor of International Commerce degree from the University College Galway. 

“I am thrilled to join the Divert team and look forward to partnering across departments to drive the company’s continued growth and success,” Spillane says. “Leveraging my experience across a broad spectrum of IT roles, I’m eager to deliver meaningful business value for the company through enterprise IT systems and operational excellence.” 

Audette brings nearly two decades of food service industry expertise to build impactful partnerships and strategies that align with the evolving needs of national restaurant brands. Audette has held leadership roles across the industry, including with Local Kitchens, Square, Inc. and as a former restaurant owner. In his most recent role at Local Kitchens in San Francisco, Audette led the sales, partnerships and markets teams, driving growth and expansion through streamlining partner and menu offerings and signing and onboarding national partnerships. Audette holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington.

“I’m excited to join Divert because it uniquely combines my commitment to sustainability with my passion for supporting food service and restaurant operators,” Audette says. “At Divert, I have the opportunity to drive impactful solutions that not only address our wasted food crisis but also enhance the operational efficiency and profitability of our partners in the food service industry.” 

DeVasier brings nearly three decades of leadership experience in strategic engineering, steering large-scale operations and optimizing processes to drive revenue and continuous improvement. In his most recent role at Pitney Bowes, DeVasier was responsible for all aspects of the parcel network, facility placement, transportation design and execution, as well as the relationship with the United States Postal Service. DeVasier holds a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Kentucky.

"Divert is filling a big gap in addressing the national wasted food crisis and I’m proud to join this effort to more effectively manage and mitigate unsold food products,” DeVasier says. “I look forward to leveraging my expertise in strategic planning, optimization and people leadership to help Divert scale.”  

Divert has plans to scale to 30 facilities by 2031 to meet increasing demand for its solutions to address the wasted food crisis. Divert works with nearly 8,000 customer locations, including grocery retailers, food manufacturers, distributors and food service.