DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. -- The Hillshire Brands Co. has announced that Sean Reid, 45, will become chief customer officer, effective Aug. 20, 2012. Reid will lead the external selling organization and build sustainable strategic relationships and strategies across all consumer-facing channels including Wal-Mart, Kroger, Costco and development networks. He will report to Sean Connolly, CEO.
"Sean is a strong addition to the Hillshire Brands' team, bringing extensive leadership experience and a proven track record of achieving solid results by partnering with customers and developing strong organizations," said Connolly. "His deep understanding of the food industry and key customer needs combined with his ability to lead successful teams will help drive our business."
Most recently, Reid was senior vice president of U.S. and international sales at Schwan Food Co. and directed the company's worldwide consumer brand sales organization, with responsibility for account management across all channels, broker management, category management, trade marketing, sales finance, operations, customer service and retail management.
Reid also worked at Kraft Foods Inc. where he served as vice president of U.S. retail sales and led a national team of more than 11,000 employees. His responsibilities included delivering sales through in-store and retail execution tactics, which ranged from category management to go-to-market resets. Prior to his work at Kraft, Reid held a variety of sales and management positions at Nabisco Biscuits & Snacks.
Hillshire Brands is a leader in meat-centric food solutions for the retail and foodservice markets. The company generates nearly $4 billion in annual sales and has approximately 9,500 employees. Hillshire Brands' portfolio includes iconic brands such as Jimmy Dean, Ball Park, Hillshire Farm, State Fair, Sara Lee frozen bakery and Chef Pierre pies, as well as artisanal brands Aidells and Gallo Salame. The company, formerly known as Sara Lee Corp., began trading under the "HSH" ticker symbol on June 29, 2012, following the successful spinoff of its international coffee and tea business.
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