Industry & People

Hershey Foods promoted David West to senior vice president, chief financial officer.



Hershey Foods promoted David West from senior vice president, chief customer officer to senior vice president, chief financial officer. Christopher Baldwin was named senior vice president, global chief customer officer. Baldwin joins Hershey from Kraft Foods where he was national vice president of field sales and logistics.

The Kellogg Co. selected director James Jenness to succeed Carlos Gutierrez as chairman and chief executive officer following Gutierrez' nomination as US Secretary of Commerce.

Diageo, parent company of Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff and other brand-name spirits, beers and wines, appointed Larry Schwartz president of US Spirits. Schwartz will also continue in his current role as president of key markets for Diageo North America.

Richard Finkbeiner has been appointed senior vice president, chief financial officer, secretary and treasurer for Poore Brothers, Inc. Finkbeiner joins Poore Brothers with nearly 30 years of experience with manufacturing companies in the consumer goods industry.

The board of directors of Altria Group, the parent company of Kraft Foods Inc., elected Dr. Harold Brown to its board. Dr. Brown served on the Altria Board from 1983 until 2003.

V-Net Beverage, Inc. and Fire Mountain Beverage Co. formed an agreement to extend the distribution of Fire Mountain's products through the V-Net network of national natural and specialty foods distributors.

Newport International, parent company of Jack's Catch seafood products, appointed Andy Walton as president. Troy Turkin was named executive vice president of sales and marketing for the company.

Christopher Fraleigh is chief customer and marketing officer at Sara Lee. Fraleigh joins Sara Lee from General Motors, where he most recently served as general manager of the Buick-Pontiac division.

PepsiCo will acquire General Mills' 40.5% ownership interest in Snack Ventures Europe, a joint venture between the two firms, for $750 million. The interest redemption will end the joint venture and its operation will become wholly owned by PepsiCo.