The Hershey Co. has appointed Mary Kay Haben to its Board of Directors, effective Aug. 9, 2013.
“Mary Kay is a seasoned leader who brings a great wealth of relevant food and confectionery experience to her role as a member of the Hershey board,” said James Nevels, chairman of the Board of Directors. “She is an accomplished executive with extensive experience managing businesses in the consumer packaged goods industry and has an impressive track record in growing brands and developing new products.”
Haben, a highly respected business leader with demonstrated success in global management, retired in 2011 from a successful 33-year career managing consumer food and confectionery businesses. At the time of her retirement, she was president, North America of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., a subsidiary of Mars Inc., where she led the integration of the Wrigley gum and Mars confections businesses in the U.S. and Canada. Prior to Mars’ acquisition of Wrigley in 2008, she was Wrigley’s Group vice president and managing director, North America. Before Wrigley, Haben was with Kraft Foods for 27 years, where she led several multi-billion dollar divisions, including the Cheese, Meals and Enhancers Divisions.
Haben received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Illinois and an MBA in marketing from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
She currently serves on the board of Bob Evans Farms Inc., a full-service restaurant owner and operator, and food products producer, distributor and marketer, and the board of trustees for Equity Residential, a leading real estate investment trust engaged in the acquisition, development and management of multi-family properties. Haben previously served on the board of directors of apparel company Liz Claiborne from 2004 to 2007.
Haben is active in her community and served on the Board and Executive Committee of Junior Achievement of Chicago for 18 years. She currently is a director for the Off the Street Club, the oldest boys and girls club in Chicago.
