Our People. Your Team

Developing a Solid Partnership

Retired - Chief Executive Officer ~ Jim Dyvig "Congratulations on 35 years!"
Jim has over 40 years of food service experience. He is an owner of New Horizon Foods and has a true passion for the success of all our customers dining programs. He works with our District Managers to ensure that resident and customer satisfaction goals are met. He continually reviews staffing efficiencies and menu production to ensure optimal satisfaction and cost management goals are achieved.

Chief Operations Officer ~ Amy Wemple, RD, LD
Amy has over 20 years experience in the healthcare and foodservice industry including hospitals, nursing homes, assisted/independent living, and education. She graduated from University of Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree in Dietetics. She proceeded to complete an integrated master’s internship program from Central Michigan. Amy is a Registered Dietitian with the Commission of Dietetic Registration and also a Licensed Dietitian. In addition to the Business Development role with New Horizon Foods she instructs the ServSafe Certification courses for our employees. She brings a wealth of knowledge in all facets of foodservice and clinical areas from financial, personnel, food safety and sanitation to sales and marketing. She has conducted numerous continuing education sessions for administrators, registered dietitians, certified dietary managers, and cooks.

Chief Sales Officer ~ Ray Hermanson
Ray has over 42 years of experience in all facets of food service including 23 years with New Horizon Foods. He assists in the marketing of the dining program and is involved with resident focus groups including resident councils and other dining meetings. He also works with the housing managers on ways to increase revenue through in-house and community caterings along with the potential café revenues. A baker and accomplished chef by background, Ray the “Pie Man” is famous for visiting communities and treating people to his delicious pies.

Director of Healthcare Operations ~ Leslie Tapia
Leslie graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, Psychology, Healthcare Administration and Exercise Physiology. She has been working in the senior living field for over 20 years. She is also a licensed Assisted Living Administrator as well as certified in dementia care. Leslie started as a Registered Dietitian in long term care and transitioned into dining operations. She picked this industry because she has always had a fondness for seniors and dining. She started volunteering in a skilled nursing facility in her home town when she was 7 and knew she wanted to make a difference in seniors lives. The aspect of her job that she enjoys the most is being able to teach and develop new and young managers, talking to residents and finding ways to improve systems and financials. In her free time she loves to be in the outdoors and being with her Min Pin named Max. She is also enjoys hiking and snowshoeing.

Director of Nutrition and Clinical Services ~ Chelsea Peterson, RD, LD
Chelsea has been a Registered, Licensed Dietitian since shortly after graduating from North Dakota State University in 2011. Her emphasis at the university was in geriatrics — a natural fit for Chelsea as she greatly enjoys interacting with older adults and their families. In her career, Chelsea has excelled at numerous positions in the dietetics field, including her work as a clinical dietitian, food service manager and consultant at various nursing homes and short-term care facilities. Her genuinely welcoming personality makes it easy for the youth and adults she consults with to connect with her at the in-patient and out-patient behavioral units. Chelsea also relates comfortably with her staff and other caregivers, promoting among them her belief that physical and mental health is strongly tied to nutrition and that providing residents with a proper dietary plan is essential to their healthy well-being.

Corporate Registered Dietitian ~ Sandy Heil, MPH, RD
Sandy has over 24 years of experience in the healthcare and foodservice industry as a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. She graduated from Mankato State University with a B.S. in Dietetics. She has a Master Degree in Public Health from the University of Minnesota. She has worked as a clinical consultant and continues in that service for New Horizon Foods. She works closely with medical teams at various New Horizon Foods accounts consulting clients on weight management, eating disorders, addictions, diabetes, and a host of other disease states. As the Corporate Dietitian, Sandy oversees Registered Dietitians at New Horizon Foods. Her responsibilities include providing clinical support for New Horizon District Managers, clinical support at Long-term Care & Transitional Care accounts, special diet menu development, and staff/client nutrition education.

District Manager ~ Derek Sage
Derek's entire professional career has been in the hospitality industry. Over the past 30 years he has been involved with Higher Education, Corporate Dining, K12, and Senior Assisted Living. Derek has a Bachelors degree in Education and an Associates in Hospitality Management. He enjoys this business tremendously and providing great tasting food and service to my customers. Derek is originally from San Diego, California and met his wife in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Together they enjoy time at the lake and especially time in Naples, Florida.

District Manager ~ Patty Moe
Patty has been in and out of the food service business since her first “real” job with Kwik Trip in her hometown of Winona. She attended Anoka Ramsey Community College where she played softball and then went on to North Hennepin Community College where she received her degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement and then completed hew Law Enforcement requirements at Metro State University. She would say the she cooked her way through college, working at Country Kitchen as an assistant manager, and Edinburgh Golf Course as Lead Grill Cook, and Catering cook. Patty was hired on with Minneapolis Police department and served for 10 years and during the last 2 years on the Police Department she got her Real Estate License and became a Broker/Owner of a small office in Columbia Heights. After 911 she continued in Real Estate but also went where her true passion was, food service. She worked part time at a golf course and at a Technical College. After relocating to Wisconsin, Patty became Executive Chef with New Horizon Foods at a large senior living community Watertown. She was instrumental in a large-scale expansion at the location, opening a Bistro and Fine Dining Restaurant. Patty's passion for food and the food industry is what drove her to be better at her job every day and acheive the position of to District Manager.

Healthcare District Clinical Manager - Joan Hayden, RDN, CD
Joan has over 30 years in the long term care field and graduated from the University of WI Madison with a Bachelors in Dietetics after completion of a Coordinated Undergraduate Program. She loves working and taking care of our elders, and is very much a resident advocate. Joan has a wide range of experience in long term care; has worked as a Dietary Manager/RD in very small 50 bed buildings and also a 500 bed building, worked as a Regional RD working and overseeing up to 21 buildings and 4 Dietitians. Joan enjoys working with all disciplines in long term care and continue to learn new things every day.

Culinary Support ~ Baltazar Garibay Jr.
Baltazar (Junior) has over 26 years of culinary experience in all sectors of the food and beverage industry. He truly enjoys the flexibility and ability to work in all sectors with New Horizon Foods. He loves to cook and experiment with different kinds of food along with the love to watch and play sport and coach. Junior especially loves to spend time with his kids and family.

Human Resource Director ~ Ashly Bitter, SHRM-CP
Ashly has been in food and beverage for 20 years with a focus on high end hotels and resorts. She got her bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management and worked as a Director in resorts until becoming a mom. After having her son, she chose to go back to where she started with senior living. Using her knowledge of the industry, Ashly got her Masters in Human Resources so that she could be an asset to the company from the corporate side. Her goal is to be able to assist staff and be as much of a support as possible. Ashly’s passion in service has translated to the service she provides now to every employee on the team so they can focus on taking care of the client.

District Manager ~ Jodie Miller
Jodie has been in foodservice for the past 20 years. She graduated with an Associate's of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu. From there she became the Sous Chef then Executive Chef at a golf course in Lakeville, MN. She then moved to a larger company and became the Executive Chef at the Science Museum of Minnesota and then the Minnesota Zoo. She started with New Horizon Foods in 2020 as a District Manager in hopes of expanding her management skills and culinary knowledge. In her free time Jodie enjoys watching her daughter play hockey, boating, traveling, and spending time with her family.

District Manager ~ Tara Hubbard
Originally from a small farming town in Missouri, I left my serving job in 2017 and moved out to Colorado to chase the mountains and my culinary dreams. Attended the Art Institute of Colorado, where I received my degree in Culinary Arts. Worked my way through the ranks and explored different realms of the industry, soaking it all in. In 2010, I landed in the corporate catering field as an Executive Chef in the tech industry. Opportunity knocks and I’d advise anyone starting out to be sure to listen and always peer through the door when it happens. For me, that door led to New Horizon Foods in 2017 and the chance to be Culinary Director at an amazing Senior Living Community. I still feel lucky to have found my calling. Under great leadership from my Executive Director and District Manager, I started growing in my own leadership aspirations. Now, as District Manager with the company, overseeing communities in Colorado and Illinois, we strive for great customer service and satisfaction, and I still feel confident throwing on a chef coat and jumping right in if need be. I enjoy teaching my managers, working through challenges, and putting smiles on our customers’ faces. My work connects and grounds my love for life and for food.