Dear Friends,
As many of you are already aware, Jim Boyce passed from this world on September 26, 2010. Jim spent the last twelve years of a wonderful and productive life stewarding and nurturing a dedicated staff at Marin French Cheese Company to unprecedented heights of cheese making and marketplace presence, while garnering an ever increasing number of national and international awards for a variety of traditional and innovative cheeses.
Jim purchased Marin French from the founding family heirs. Established in 1865, the company began by introducing fresh cheese to the influx of gold miners arriving in San Francisco. Breakfast Cheese was sent by horse and wagon and steamers across the Bay, and became widely accepted in saloons among San Franciscans. In the early 1900’s, the company began making hand crafted European-style soft-ripened cheeses.
From Jim’s start with the company in 1998, the four cheeses made at that time have expanded into twenty-six varieties. He enjoyed a crowning achievement by winning Gold against the best French cheeses at the 2005 World Cheese Awards for his Rouge et Noir Triple Crème Brie, a first ever for an American company. At the same competition, Marin Chèvre Blue won Gold and Yellow Buck Chèvre was awarded the Best American Cheese 2005. Just last August, Marin French received two 1st Place awards, among 12 honors it garnered, at the 2010 American Cheese Society Judging, one of the most prestigious U.S. competitions. Clearly, Jim set high standards of excellence for Marin French’s artisan cheese team.
During spring 2010, Jim recognized it was time to transition management of Marin French Cheese for the future. That effort resulted in the appointment of Maxx Sherman as President to succeed Jim, and brought together a group of individuals close to Jim and his visions who will guide the Company forward as Board Members. The current Board spent numerous hours with Jim reviewing in detail his long-term business goals, plans for the facility upgrades and recently completed aging room expansion, new cheese product opportunities, and market development. Maxx, having spent over five years collaborating with Jim on product development and marketing, is well equipped to lead the team of dedicated managers at the company.
Our overall goals continue to be to: (1) deliver to our customers the finest, consistent quality soft-ripened cheese in the marketplace, (2) excel at customer satisfaction, and (3) continue our tradition of producing innovative, hand crafted cheeses. The Board is deeply grateful to Jim for the legacy he leaves. We share with our loyal customers, retailers, distributors and employees our commitment to enter this new era of Marin French Cheese Company with the same enthusiasm and dedication as Jim had bestowed during his tenure.
Very gratefully yours,
The Board of Directors
Marin French Cheese Company
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