Our People
Michael Smulders
President and Founder 
Nickname – “The granola boss”
Fun Fact – I like to watch Leave it to Beaver re-runs.
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is – Blueberry Scone Oatmeal
Favorite Quote –
“Where’s my latte!?”
(After a couple of brushes with local TV stardom)
“In matters of style, swim with the current;In matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
Thomas Jefferson
The best part of being the president of Bakery On Main is – the people who work for me have to laugh at my jokes.
If I won a million dollars – I would pay half of it in taxes.
Melissa Carducci-Brooks
Operations Manager
Nickname – Carducci / Melbee
Fun fact about you – I spent many years travelling around the country attending music festivals to see bands play
Favorite Bakery On Main product – RAINFOREST GRANOLA
Favorite Quote – “DON’T WORRY ABOUT A THING, BECAUSE EVERY LITTLE THING IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT”
Best part of your job – Working with great people and making yummy products that people love!
If I won 1 Million dollars – I would pay off our mortgage, pay for Elliott’s College Tuition, go on an amazing trip, and put the rest in savings for retirement.
Deirdre Stolte
Office Manager
Nickname: “D”, “Mom”, “Big Momma”
Fun Fact: I waited on Harry Connick Jr. 20+ years ago when I was a waitress in New Jersey and he was just starting to make a name for himself.
Favorite Bakery On Main Product: Bunches of Crunches Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
Favorite Quote: “Put on your big girl panties and deal with it!”
Best Part of My Job: Being able to interact with all of the employees and getting to know them on a personal level.
If I won a million dollars: First of all I wouldn’t quit my job, I love working here! I would pay off all our student loans, then buy a house for myself and my daughters and finally get more involved in our community through various non-profit agencies and see where I can make a difference.
Frank Giuliano
Plant Manager
Nickname: Frankie Danky
Fun Fact: Takes about 10 gallons of sap to make 1 quart of Maple syrup
Favorite Bakery On Main Product: Nutty Cranberry Maple Granola
Favorite Quote: “Feed a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish feed him for a lifetime.”
Best Part of My Job: Working with a great team at Bakery On Main.
If I won 1 million dollars: I’d be closer to retirement.
Paul Connolly
Vice President of Sales
Fun fact about you: Played lacrosse at Michigan State University also an avid family outdoorsman hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, and ice hockey.
Favorite Bakery On Main product: Rainforest Banana Nut Granola
Favorite Quote: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” – Wayne Gretsky…via Michael Scott Office season 5 “The Michael Scott Paper Company”
Best part of your job: Working with great people & making available great tasting food products with clean ingredient statements (Non GMO).
If I won 1 million dollars: I would pay for 100% of the kids college, add additional funds to the scholarship fund for college students studying Food Systems at Michigan State University, and take my wife to Rome.
Jorge Diaz
Assistant Manager – Warehouse Operations
Nickname: “G”
Favorite BOM product: Extreme Fruit & Nut
Favorite Quote: “Git er done!”
Best part of your job: Making my boss smile 🙂 (is my nose brown enough?)
If I won one million dollars: Put both daughters through college & invest the rest for retirement.
Todd Einig
Regional Sales Manager Grocery and Private Brand East
Fun fact about you: I love snow
Favorite Bakery On Main product: Extreme Fruit & Nut Granola
Favorite Quote: “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” (Vince Lombardi)
Best part of your job: Satisfaction of knowing that we are providing great tasting NON GMO products to people with specific dietary needs.
If I won 1 million dollars: I would pay off debt, pay off family’s debt, save for my daughters’ college and if there is any left over, buy a boat.
Jennifer Zalewski
Supply Chain Manager
Nickname: “Z”
Fun fact about you: I volunteer my time, along with my husband to a local Greyhound Rescue Group.
Favorite Bakery On Main product: Blueberry Scone Oatmeal
Favorite Quote: “Better to have and not need, than to need and not have.”
Best part of your job: That it is never boring. It is always challenging me in some way, shape or form.
If I won 1 million dollars: I would continue to work, pay off my parents mortgage, send my daughter to the college of her choosing, and finally go on my Alaskan dream cruise.
Jegadish Gunasagaran
Quality Assurance Manager
Nickname: Jega
Fun fact about you: Antarctica is the only continent I have yet to visit!
Favorite Bakery On Main product: Organic Happy Granola
Favorite Quote: “I don’t feel that it is necessary to know exactly what I am. The main interest in life and work is to become someone else that you were not in the beginning.” – Michel Foucault
Best part of your job: The people I get to spend my day with.
If I won 1 Million dollars: I would go to Antarctica…haha.
Cassandra McCrory
Customer Service
Nickname: Cassie
Fun Fact: In 2010 I participated in a skills competition for architectural drafting, and placed 2nd in the state!
Favorite Bakery On Main Product: Cranberry Orange Cashew Granola
The best part of my job: Making people happy by providing them with tasty gluten free options!
If I won a million dollars: If I won a million dollars I would continue to work, pay off debt, and buy my mother the dream home she deserves.
Kristin Deinstadt
Consumer Outreach and Insights Manager 
Nickname: Kiki
Fun Fact: I have an identical (mirror image) twin sister. We are 4-minutes apart.
Favorite Bakery On Main Product: our Variety Pack Instant Oatmeal – I can’t decide if I like the Strawberry Shortcake, Apple Pie or Maple Multigrain Muffin better!
Favorite Quote: “Many hands make light work” – John Heywood
Best part of my job: I love managing our social media accounts as I get to talk to people who LOVE our product from all over the country and beyond!
If I won a million dollars: I’d go on a year-long trip around the world with my husband and son Ben – flying my friends and family out to various places to meet up with me! Then I would buy a new house & car, pay off some bills and put the rest in my savings!
Maria Ortiz
Customer Service Representative
Nickname: Mary
Fun Fact: I am a Mary Kay Consultant part-time
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Bunches of Crunches Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
Favorite Quote: “The speed of the leader is the speed of the gang” Mary Kay Ash
The best part of my job: Being able to sample the products! 🙂
If I won a million dollars: I would travel more!
Amanda Parkins
Regulatory and Food Safety Specialist 
Nickname: Mandy
Fun Fact: I played Division III Field Hockey for WCSU
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Tropical Nutty Banana Granola
Favorite Quote: My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” – Maya Angelou
The best part of my job: Since I personally live a gluten-free lifestyle, it gives me great pride to know that as part of the Quality Assurance Department, I help ensure that we are putting out a safe and delicious gluten-free product!
If I won a million dollars: Gee, where to start! I’d pay off our current mortgage and car payments, set up a college fund for our children, invest in more (yes, we already own one) rental properties – nothing beats residual income! And then I think I’d plan a nice long vacation across Europe and the Mediterranean.
Janet Mantello
Bookkeeper 
Nickname: Janet
Fun Fact: I LOVE frogs!
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Bunches of Crunches Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
Favorite Quote: Treat others as you want to be treated.
The best part of my job: It is never boring and getting to eat great products!
If I won a million dollars: Buy a new house, pay off debt, and put my three children through college!
Maggie Lonczewski
Business Development Analyst
Nickname: MagLo
Fun Fact: When I was 13, I saved up enough money to fly myself across country to San Diego and spent 2 weeks with family I had never met. Haven’t stopped traveling since!
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Bunches of Crunches Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
Favorite Quote: Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt. – John Muir
The best part of my job: Daily taste testing!
If I won a million dollars: I would cry. Then take it all out in $1 bills and roll around for awhile. Eventually put it back in the bank to pay off all my family’s debts, travel around the world, and then get back to my day job. 🙂
Frank Croce
Director of Finance
Nickname: Franklin
Fun Fact: I was shot in the leg when I was 15 years old….by my brother! (It was a bebe gun and yes I am okay!)
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Bunches of Crunches Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
Favorite Quote: “You’re killing me smalls!” – The Sandlot
The best part of my job: It always smells like Christmas when I walk into work and I get to work with great people!
If I won a million dollars: I would pay Morgan Freeman to narrate my life while travelling around the world!
Madison Munson
Product Development Manager
Nickname: Maddie/Mad
Fun Fact: I went on a trip to Iceland with my (now) fiancé. We saw the Foo Fighters, went sightseeing and he proposed at the top of Iceland’s tallest waterfall!
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Bunches of Crunches Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
Favorite Quote: “Take Chances. Make Mistakes. Get Messy.” – Ms. Frizzle (The Magic Schoolbus)
The best part of my job: Developing crazy fun and new products while working with a great team!
If I won a million dollars: I would buy a green dress. But not a real green dress…that’s cruel! – BNL. I would take care of debt, family and travel!
Mike Hayden
Assistant Manager Maintenance
Nickname: Knuckles
Fun Fact: Orange rhymes with Sporange…look it up!
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Bunches of Crunches
Favorite Quote: The end justifies the means
The best part of my job: The gratification of when I fix a machine and show it who’s boss!
If I won a million dollars: I would pay off my house, sell it, build a new sensible house in the woods, buy a new truck, buy my kids a bunch of toys, set up college funds for my kids, invest and save the rest!
Devin Benninger Long
Western Region Sales Manager
Nickname: D or Dev
Fun Fact: When: I’ve jumped out of an airplane twice!
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Bunches of Crunches Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
Favorite Quote: “To me there are three things everyone should do every day. Number one is laugh. Number two is think – spend some time in thought. Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears. If you laugh, think, and cry, that’s a heck of a day.” — Jim Valvano
The best part of my job: Being entrepreneurial and making a difference!
If I won a million dollars: Buy a house with a huge yard and rescue a bunch of dogs with my family.
Pam Clark
Regional Sales Manager, Private Label and Foodservice
Nickname: Pam
Fun Fact: When: I am a professional French Horn player. I perform with the New England Symphony Orchestra.
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Organic Happy Granola Sprouted Maple Quinoa
Favorite Quote: You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing that you think you cannot do. – Eleanor Roosevelt
The best part of my job: Being part of a happy, great team that makes healthy delicious food!
If I won a million dollars: I would first invest it to help it grow. With the growth of that income, I would provide ways to feed or grow healthy food for everyone.
Chris Senter
Packaging Manager 
Nickname: Chris
Fun Fact: When: I have been playing guitar for 15 years and did mission work through Central and South America after graduating college.
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Bunches of Crunches Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
Favorite Quote: “Why do we fall sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up” – Alfred, Batman Begins
The best part of my job: I love being a part of making ideas into reality.
If I won a million dollars: Besides paying off student loan debt, I would use the money and invest into water filtration systems to give to those in countries that do not have clean water.
Geoffrey Wolken
Production Coordinator 
Nickname: Geoff
Fun Fact: I have visited over 230 breweries and counting.
Favorite Bakery On Main Product is: Cranberry Apple Almond Oatmeal Cup
Favorite Quote: “When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.” Jimi Hendrix
The best part of my job: Getting to taste all of our delicious products on a daily basis!
If I won a million dollars: I would like to say that I would buy a cabin in the mountains but it would realistically pay off debts and possibly take a vacation.