Our Leadership Team

   Steve Paden, President and CEO, is a seasoned logistics and supply chain executive with more than 40 years of leadership experience across food distribution, cold storage, transportation, and international sourcing. Following his service in the United States Marine Corps, he began his career with Sysco Corporation, where he advanced to Director of Seafood Merchandising at the company’s corporate headquarters in Houston.

   After 11 years with Sysco, Steve led a seafood importing start-up specializing in freshwater fish sourced from the Amazon region, expanding his expertise in product sourcing, market development, and international trade. He later spent six years with Ford Motor Company as a cost analyst at a major production facility, where he developed strong expertise in cost control, operational analysis, and manufacturing systems, before earning his MBA in Business Management and returning to the food industry.

   After relocating to Virginia in 2003, Steve served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a shrimp importing company before founding Tidewater Foods in 2005 and PadenCold in 2007. Under his leadership, PadenCold has grown from a start-up operation handling a single pallet to a major regional cold storage provider managing more than 6 million pounds of product each month.
     In 2012, Steve expanded the company’s capabilities by launching Paden Logistics, creating an integrated refrigerated drayage and trucking platform designed to meet the evolving needs of customers across the cold chain.

   Steve’s leadership is defined by a long-term commitment to operational excellence, customer relationships, and building businesses with enduring value. Outside of work, he enjoys farming and fishing and takes pride in seeing the next generation of his family actively involved in the businesses he has built. 

   Jesse Jenkins, Chief Engineer, oversees facility maintenance, refrigeration systems, and mechanical operations for PadenCold, ensuring dependable performance across the company’s cold storage infrastructure and critical operating systems.
  Since joining PadenCold in 2010, Jesse has become a key part of the company’s operational leadership, bringing extensive experience in industrial maintenance, facility operations, and mechanical systems. His technical expertise includes electrical systems, ammonia refrigeration equipment, industrial HVAC-R split systems, heavy machinery maintenance, and troubleshooting complex facility infrastructure. He further strengthened his qualifications by earning his ammonia refrigeration certification in 2016.
  Jesse is recognized for his strong mechanical ability, practical problem-solving, and hands-on leadership style. His approach emphasizes accountability, continuous improvement, and empowering team members to take ownership of their work while maintaining reliable day-to-day operations.
 Outside of work, Jesse enjoys mechanical projects at home, spending time with family, camping, ATV/jet skiing, and traveling.