ATLANTA, GA. –Frederick B. Beilstein was appointed chief executive officer and Michael P. Schall, president, sales and marketing for Georgetown, Del.-based Townsends Inc. effective Feb. 25. Mr. Beilstein is a managing partner in the private investment firm of Atlanta, Ga.-based Equicorp Partners LLC, which principally invests in franchised restaurant sector companies.

He is the former chief executive officer and chief financial officer of AFC Enterprises Inc., the franchisor of Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits, and former franchisor of Church's Chicken, Cinnabon and Seattle's Best Coffee. Mr. Beilstein previously served as chief financial officer of AmeriCold Logistics Inc., one of the world's largest temperature-controlled warehousing and transportation management companies serving the wholesale and retail sides of the food industry.

Most recently, Mr. Schall served as senior vice president of Monterey Gourmet Foods and was a member of its Board of Directors from 2000 to 2008. Before joining Monterey Gourmet, he served as senior vice president, sales and marketing, of Wise Potato Chips, and was president and chief executive officer of the B. Manischewitz Company, one of the nation's premier kosher food marketers.

His sales and marketing experience spans customer relationships in foodservice national accounts, retail grocery, club store and the natural food channels.

Townsends Inc. is a leading producer and marketer of value-added poultry products to the global foodservice and retail grocery markets. It operates facilities in Arkansas and North Carolina, with offices and Culinary Innovation in Atlanta, Ga. and Georgetown, Del.