Hershey Makes Organizational Changes
HERSHEY, Pa. -- The Hershey Co. here said yesterday that it was making organizational changes, effective immediately, that it explained are "designed to accelerate momentum behind Hershey's strategic growth opportunity areas."
Among the changes are new leadership team assignments in the International Commercial Group (ICG), led by J.P. Bilbrey, s.v.p., president ICG, as it concentrates on important strategic growth areas in Asia, Latin America, and India; and integration of Hershey's Canadian operations into a newly established North American Commercial Group (NACG), headed up by Chris Baldwin, s.v.p., president NACG.
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Noted Hershey chairman, president and c.e.o. Richard H. Lenny in a statement: "J.P. and his team are advancing Hershey's global strategies. Focus on Latin America, including Mexico, and Asia is providing opportunities to build our core brands, as well as to develop new platforms that meet unique consumer and customer needs. The organizational changes announced today provide the appropriate resources in these critical areas. At the same time, we're leveraging Hershey's North American marketing and sales leadership to unite our U.S. and Canadian marketing, sales, and customer marketing areas, while building capabilities to capitalize on the very unique consumer and customer trends within each country."
The changes, which support this revised organization structure, are as follows:
In the International Commercial Group, Dan Vucovich, v.p., chief customer officer, becomes v.p., global chief customer officer, in which capacity he'll be responsible for leading Hershey's selling organizations around the world, reporting to both Baldwin and Bilbrey; Tim Dunigan, v.p., Wal*Mart Global, becomes v.p., sales, international commercial group, reporting to Vucovich; Bryan Crittenden, v.p., Latin America, becomes v.p., business development, International Commercial Group, and will continue to report to Bilbrey; and Elizabeth Peart, general manager, Brazil, and Jorge Pena, general manager, Mexico, will now report directly to Bilbrey.
The U.S. Commercial Group becomes the North American Commercial Group to recognize the combination of marketing, customer marketing, and sales in the United States and Canada. Bruce Brown, v.p., general manager, Canada, becomes v.p., business process optimization, reporting to Baldwin, and Eric Lent, v.p., refreshment, snacks, and confectionery, U.S. Commercial Group, becomes v.p., general manager, Canada, in which capacity he will handle the delivery of sales, market share, and profitability goals for Hershey Canada, reporting to Baldwin. Lent and Brown will work together to ensure a smooth transition.
Additionally, Andy Jacobs has been named v.p., customer marketing, North American Commercial Group, and Bert Alfonso has been appointed v.p., finance and planning, North American Commercial Group. Both appointments reflect Hershey's need to drive customer solutions and financial planning across the entire commercial unit. The consumer marketing organizations in the United States and Canada will continue to be helmed by Michele Buck and Lynn Baumgartner, respectively, with Baumgartner reporting to Lent.
Among the changes are new leadership team assignments in the International Commercial Group (ICG), led by J.P. Bilbrey, s.v.p., president ICG, as it concentrates on important strategic growth areas in Asia, Latin America, and India; and integration of Hershey's Canadian operations into a newly established North American Commercial Group (NACG), headed up by Chris Baldwin, s.v.p., president NACG.
(Story continues below.)
Noted Hershey chairman, president and c.e.o. Richard H. Lenny in a statement: "J.P. and his team are advancing Hershey's global strategies. Focus on Latin America, including Mexico, and Asia is providing opportunities to build our core brands, as well as to develop new platforms that meet unique consumer and customer needs. The organizational changes announced today provide the appropriate resources in these critical areas. At the same time, we're leveraging Hershey's North American marketing and sales leadership to unite our U.S. and Canadian marketing, sales, and customer marketing areas, while building capabilities to capitalize on the very unique consumer and customer trends within each country."
The changes, which support this revised organization structure, are as follows:
In the International Commercial Group, Dan Vucovich, v.p., chief customer officer, becomes v.p., global chief customer officer, in which capacity he'll be responsible for leading Hershey's selling organizations around the world, reporting to both Baldwin and Bilbrey; Tim Dunigan, v.p., Wal*Mart Global, becomes v.p., sales, international commercial group, reporting to Vucovich; Bryan Crittenden, v.p., Latin America, becomes v.p., business development, International Commercial Group, and will continue to report to Bilbrey; and Elizabeth Peart, general manager, Brazil, and Jorge Pena, general manager, Mexico, will now report directly to Bilbrey.
The U.S. Commercial Group becomes the North American Commercial Group to recognize the combination of marketing, customer marketing, and sales in the United States and Canada. Bruce Brown, v.p., general manager, Canada, becomes v.p., business process optimization, reporting to Baldwin, and Eric Lent, v.p., refreshment, snacks, and confectionery, U.S. Commercial Group, becomes v.p., general manager, Canada, in which capacity he will handle the delivery of sales, market share, and profitability goals for Hershey Canada, reporting to Baldwin. Lent and Brown will work together to ensure a smooth transition.
Additionally, Andy Jacobs has been named v.p., customer marketing, North American Commercial Group, and Bert Alfonso has been appointed v.p., finance and planning, North American Commercial Group. Both appointments reflect Hershey's need to drive customer solutions and financial planning across the entire commercial unit. The consumer marketing organizations in the United States and Canada will continue to be helmed by Michele Buck and Lynn Baumgartner, respectively, with Baumgartner reporting to Lent.