HERSHEY, Pa. -- The Hershey Co. has named Michele Buck as executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective immediately. She will continue to report to John Bilbrey, chairman, president and CEO of Hershey.
Buck brings more than 25 years of consumer-packaged-goods (CPG) experience to this new executive role. She will continue to lead Hershey’s day-to-day North American operations and now will oversee Hershey’s operations in Central and South America.
The company’s global supply chain, sales, marketing, innovation, research and development and consumer and shopper analytics and insights areas also now will report to Buck.
"Michele has worked closely with me for the past eight years as a partner and collaborator on the global growth strategies we are now pursuing,” said Bilbrey. “She is a seasoned and trusted executive who consistently delivers results. Her combination of industry, retail and consumer knowledge uniquely qualifies her to drive Hershey’s operating priorities. I have tremendous confidence in Michele's ability to build on Hershey’s competitive advantages with leading practices and new technologies and tools that will extend Hershey’s market leadership into the next generation.”
In her prior role as president for North America, Buck led Hershey’s U.S. and Canadian businesses, which account for more than 85% of the company’s annual revenue. Buck also has served as the company’s senior vice president and chief growth officer. Her primary focus was creating and driving transformational growth. And she has served as senior vice president and global chief marketing officer. Before joining Hershey in 2005, Buck served 17 years at Kraft/Nabisco in several senior positions and at the Frito-Lay division of PepsiCo.
The Hershey Co., based in Hershey, Pa., is a global confectionery company with more than 80 brands that drive more than $7.4 billion in annual revenues, including Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers and Brookside.
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