Chocolate maker Hershey has promoted senior vice president and chief financial officer David J. West to executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective immediately.
West will be responsible for the company’s day-to-day operations, including the company’s North American and international commercial group as well as its global supply chain. He will also continue with his finance duties while the company searches for his successor.
“Dave’s broad experience throughout the Hershey organization makes him well-suited to be our chief operating officer,” said chairman, president, and chief executive officer Richard H. Lenny, in a statement. “Dave has provided exceptional leadership in the areas of finance and sales while at Hershey, earning the respect of the financial community and our customers. He also was instrumental in the development of our value-enhancing strategy, as we delivered strong performance and tapped the vast potential of Hershey’s iconic brands. Dave’s in-depth knowledge and collaborative leadership style will be invaluable as we build Hershey’s momentum and aggressively pursue the company’s growth opportunities.”
West joined Hershey in May 2001 as vice president for business planning and development. He was named senior vice president in 2002, then promoted from his business-planning role to the position of chief customer officer. West became CFO in 2005.
Before joining Hershey, West was senior vice president and chief financial officer at the Nabisco Biscuit and Snacks Group, with responsibility for leading the financial function of Kraft Foods’ biscuits, confections, and snacks businesses. During his 14-year career with Nabisco, he also held positions including vice president of corporate strategy and business planning as well as director of investment analysis.
He previously held positions in finance and cost accounting with Wearever, Proctor-Silex, and Unisys.