HERSHEY, Pa. -- Mary Parsons has been named vice president of snack platforms and tech center operations at The Hershey Co., effective immediately. Parsons will report to Dan Azzara, vice president of global innovation and quality.
Parsons will be responsible for research and product development programs for Hershey's snack platforms. She will build on Hershey's snack portfolio and set the strategic direction for product development in these areas. Parsons will also oversee tech center operations and sensory science and insights. She will work closely [image-nocss] with the U.S. Commercial Group, the Global Growth and Innovation Group and the International Commercial Group.
Mary brings more than 20 years of experience in product and packaging innovation, R&D and consumer insight, Azzara said. She is a recognized leader in all aspects of innovation, from consumer insight to global launch, and has contributed to the success of some of the world's largest snack brands. Mary will play a key role as we continue to bring exciting new products to market and improve process and formulation on existing items.
Most recently, Parsons was vice president of research and development at Frito-Lay, where she led the R&D team responsible for innovation and process development for a wide range of snacks, cookies, crackers, meats and nuts. Prior to this position, Parsons was vice president of worldwide technology and quality assurance at Frito-Lay, where she had responsibility for a team developing new snack products for international markets. She joined Frito-Lay as a project engineer/section manager in 1987. Parsons started her career with Dow Chemical.
Meanwhile, the Hershey, Pa.-based candy and snack food company said that Gregg A. Tanner has been named senior vice president of global operations, effective July 17, 2006. Tanner will report to Richard H. Lenny, chairman, president and CEO, and succeeds Raymond Brace, who announced his retirement earlier this year.
Tanner brings to Hershey 26 years of leadership across all levels of the supply chain. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of retail supply chain, retail products, for ConAgra Foods, where he was responsible for purchasing, manufacturing and logistics for 72 manufacturing sites and more than 200 contract manufacturers. Prior to this position, Tanner served as executive vice president of operations, grocery foods, at ConAgra. From 1987 to 2001, he held a variety of manufacturing and supply chain leadership positions at Quaker Oats Co., including vice president of manufacturing and supply chain integration worldwide. Tanner also served as Quaker Oats' vice president of supply chain, beverages North America; and director of supply chain, Latin America and Europe.
Tanner began his career as a project engineer with the Ralston Purina Co., where he worked from 1980 to 1987.
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