THOMASVILLE, GA. — Paul Baltzer has joined Flowers Foods, Inc. as managing director of media relations and H.R. communications. He will work in Thomasville and handle media relations for Flowers Foods and provide media guidance and assistance to the company’s more than 40 subsidiaries. He also will provide communications counsel and support for corporate H.R. projects and day-to-day communications support to all corporate departments and subsidiaries.

Mr. Baltzer joins Flowers from Koch Industries Inc. in Wichita, Kas., where he led organizational communication, media relations and public affairs for Koch Fertilizer, Koch Minerals and Koch Chemical Technology Group. Prior to Koch, he held senior level communications positions at The Coleman Co., Sprint Nextel Corp. and Aventis Pharmaceuticals.

“Paul fills an existing position on our staff that has been vacant since May, and we’re looking forward to the new perspective and expertise he will bring to our communications team,” said Marta Jones Turner, executive vice-president of corporate relations at Flowers Foods. “Paul is a hands-on communicator with a deep level of business communications experience that includes all areas of strategic, executive, employee, and community communications.”