The Hershey Company Announces Mary Beth West as Ch

HERSHEY, Pa., March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY ) today announced the appointment of Mary Beth West as its new Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer. West will join the company on May 1.

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In her role at Hershey, West will oversee the company’s growth strategy including Insights and Analytics, Strategy, marketing excellence functions, Innovation, Research and Development, Mergers and Acquisitions, and The Hershey Experience. She will report to Chief Executive Officer Michele Buck.

“Mary Beth will be a great addition to our executive team,” said Buck. “She is an accomplished business leader who is considered one of the best food executives and marketers in the industry. Her deep experience in growing some of the world’s best-known consumer brands and demonstrated ability to transform consumer engagement will be a tremendous asset to Hershey as we chart our growth agenda.”

West brings 30 years of executive and marketing leadership to the company having most recently served as Executive Vice President, Chief Customer & Marketing Officer at J.C. Penney Company, Inc. where she was responsible for revitalizing the JCPenney brand. For more than 20 years she led multi-billion dollar businesses and marketing at Mondelez International, Inc., previously Kraft Foods, including roles as its Chief Category & Marketing Officer and President of both its North American beverage and grocery businesses.

West has served on the Board of Directors for J.C. Penney. She is currently on the Board of Directors for Hasbro Inc. and the Board of Trustees for both The Wallace Foundation and Mercy Ships. She is also a strong supporter of the Gladney Center for Adoption. West received a Bachelor of Science in Management from Nazareth College of Rochester and a Master of Business Administration in marketing from Columbia University. Mary Beth will relocate to the Hershey area with her husband and four children.

For more information about Hershey, please visit TheHersheyCompany.com .

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company, headquartered in Hershey, Pa., is a global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world through its chocolate, sweets, mints and other great-tasting snacks. Hershey has approximately 18,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 80 brands around the world that drive more than $7.4 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey's , Reese's , Hershey's Kisses , Jolly Rancher , Ice Breakers and Brookside . Building on its core business, Hershey is expanding its portfolio to include a broader range of delicious snacks. The company remains focused on growing its presence in key international markets while continuing to extend its competitive advantage in North America.

At Hershey, goodness has always been about more than delicious products. For more than 120 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on giving underserved children the skills and support they need to be successful. Today, the company continues this social purpose through 'Nourishing Minds,' a global initiative that provides basic nutrition to help children learn and grow. From neighborhoods across the United States to the streets of Shanghai and Mumbai and villages of West Africa, our goal is to nourish one million minds by 2020.

Visit: www.thehersheycompany.com

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Media Contact: Laura Renaud lrenaud@hersheys.com 717-534-6247