Nancy Kohl Named Chief Operating Officer of The Nutrition Group

October 1, 2025

(Irwin, PA) – The Nutrition Group, the leader in food service innovation for 50 years, is proud to announce the promotion of Nancy Kohl to Chief Operating Officer (COO). For 34 years, Nancy has been a driving force within The Nutrition Group, most recently serving as President of the School Food Service Division and Facilities Management Services. With this promotion, Nancy will expand her leadership to include the Commissary Division, while continuing to oversee school and facilities operations. One constant through all of Nancy’s responsibilities is fulfilling The Nutrition Group’s manta of “Caring People Serving Great Food.”

The Nutrition Group’s Managing Director, Jessica Anzelone, describes what makes Ms. Kohl so worthy of her promotion. “Nancy is known not only for her leadership and vision, but also for the way she champions our employees and teams. She leads with heart, builds strong relationships, empowers others and ensures that people remain at the center of everything we do. Her promotion to COO reflects her extraordinary contributions and the trust we all have in her to guide The Nutrition Group into our next chapter.”

With 34 years’ experience at The Nutrition Group, Nancy embodies The Nutrition Group’s mantra of Caring People Serving Great Food. She also understands the importance of the culture that she helps to create. “We have a passionate, ‘whatever it takes’ attitude that pervades the corporation,” explains Nancy.

Nancy started her career at The Nutrition Group in 1991 as a Director of Food and Nutrition at Montgomery Area School District in Pennsylvania. She has also served as a Regional Manager, General Manager and Vice President.

Edward Caswell, Chief Executive Officer, Founder & Majority Owner explains how Nancy has driven so much success in the food service The Nutrition Group provides to so many unique school districts. “Nancy sees the success of our Food Service Program as relying on every interaction with our customers. It could be the first grader that gets a warm smile from the person serving lunch, the middle school student who is encouraged to try a new food and finds a favorite, or the administrator that celebrates district school lunch participation growing. All of these moments add up to successful food service programs throughout our markets.

Nancy has a Master of Education in Training and Development from Penn State University and a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics/Dietetics from Mansfield University.

The Nutrition Group’s Commissary Division provides healthy, fulfilling and delicious meals to a variety of clients. Our roster includes 33 Area Agency on Aging programs, Head Start initiatives, child and adult day care, rehabilitation facilities and correctional facilities. The Commissary Division also manages senior centers across several Pennsylvania counties. Our work for seniors helps them to maintain independence, stay active within their communities and enjoy the benefits of nutritious eating in a welcoming environment.

The Nutrition Group is a second-generation, privately owned company based in Irwin, PA. They partner with schools, senior centers, correctional facilities and health organizations to provide a wide range of healthy meals. For schools, The Nutrition Group serves more than 300 districts across five states. More than 118 million meals are provided to students annually. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the company’s founding.

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Employee Resources

Ed Caswell

CEO, Majority Owner

Ed stands by a solid brand promise: “At The Nutrition Group, we try to do exactly what we say we will do. No surprises. Guaranteed.”

The Nutrition Group began when Walter McGrew and Ed Caswell purchased a small division of Potter McCune in June of 1975. Walter needed someone that would help grow Nutrition Inc. Providentially, Ed was in the right place at the right time. Walter offered him the opportunity to help grow the new business along with a share of the company. Ed enthusiastically accepted and became Vice President. The early years were characterized by transition, from a volume-based commissary operation to bid-based contract catering and then to contract food service management.

As with any successful business, many hours were invested, much experimentation was tried and many lessons were learned. The main key to early success was hiring quality, team-oriented management personnel and nourishing and encouraging their personal and professional growth.

Mr. McGrew retired in the early 1980’s and divested his interest to Ed in 1991. The leveraged buyout necessitated creative capitalization beyond bank financing. As it turned out, the idea to sell stock to key management personnel remains a powerful component in the company’s success. This has allowed The Nutrition Group to maximize growth opportunities and improve operational capabilities. Being an actively involved owner of the company is energizing, it lights the fire of pride and commitment because it is personal.

The Nutrition Group has enjoyed continual growth guided by their top management leadership team, which has been another hallmark throughout the years of our management philosophy: a strong, dedicated and focused top management team. The corporation has developed teamwork structures and principles within all levels of our business and closely monitors and supervises daily implementation and progress.

Ed’s customer-first philosophy that fueled company growth from the beginning is still the driving principle today. The employees of The Nutrition Group embrace that philosophy in all that they do. Today, The Nutrition Group serves over 240 school districts across six states and has a Commissary Division serving daycare and Head Start children, Senior Centers and Healthcare facilities. Also, the Facilities Management Services division provides custodial maintenance management, capital project management and owner’s representative services.

Ed’s parents and grandparents passed on their entrepreneurial beliefs. He was raised in a business household. He is grateful to Mr. McGrew his first partner and business mentor. He is grateful to God, his wives, family, the many “Nutritionites”, customers, vendors and outside sources of inspiration – all of which helped him to grow and develop into the person God has graced him to be. Ed believes, “We grow more through our hardships than blessings, but we are grateful for both.” He is a man of faith whose resourcefulness, perseverance and leadership helped build The Nutrition Group.

The integrity and commitment of The Nutrition Group business model, focusing on trying to consistently please the customer and sincerely attempting to do what we say we are going to do, is what sets us apart from the competition.