CytoSport, Benicia, Calif., announced that its board of directors elected Rob King as chief executive officer of the corporation, effective immediately. King succeeds Mike Pickett, co-founder of the company, who now will serve as president and maintain an active role in the daily operations of the company in conjunction with the chief executive officer.  
 
"I could not be more proud of the leadership Mike has exemplified within this company from day one, and look forward to his continued achievements in his ongoing role as president,” said CytoSport Chairman and Founder Greg Pickett in a statement. “We are committed to the continual development of this organization, and we are thrilled to have a leader of Rob's stature and experience lead our company through its next phase of growth. Rob has been a key member of our board for the past year and has served as a consultant and adviser to the board and executive team for the past two years. There is no one who knows our company, brands and customers better. We look forward to leveraging his 30-plus years of experience in the consumer products and beverage industries to further advance our leadership position in the rapidly growing sports protein segment.”
 
King has 33 years of experience in leading consumer packaged goods and beverage companies including 21 years in the Pepsi system in North America, serving as executive vice president and president of North America for Pepsi Bottling Group, Somers, N.Y., before retiring in 2010, coincident with the sale of the company to PepsiCo, Purchase, N.Y. For the last three years, King has been an independent consultant for TSG Consumer Partners and their portfolio of clients, including CytoSport; Island Oasis, Walpole, Mass.; and Neuro, Santa Monica, Calif.  He currently serves on the board of directors for all three companies.  

Prior to joining PepsiCo in 1989, King spent five years with Modesto, Calif.-based E. & J. Gallo Winery and four years with Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble in a variety of roles in sales and marketing.

“I am so excited for the future of CytoSport and the brands under its umbrella,” King said in a statement. “I have worked closely with the Pickett family and share their passion for producing the best products that lead the charge in the sports nutrition industry. We will continue to do just that. The CytoSport team is comprised of a talented group from top to bottom who share the same strategic vision, and it is now my job to guide us to achieve our goals. I look forward to continuing to work with the Pickett family, our board of directors and the entire CytoSport team to remain an industry leader in all we do.”