Leadership changes abound
It was a year of shuffling among top executives at grain-based foods companies in 2017. In June, Kendall J. Powell, chief executive officer of General Mills, Inc. stepped down after a decade at the top post of the maker of Big G cereals. He was succeeded by Jeffrey L. Harmening.
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| James Zallie |
The board of directors of Ingredion, Inc. on Sept. 18 selected James P. (Jim) Zallie as the company’s president and c.e.o., effective Jan. 1, 2018. Mr. Zallie will succeed Ilene Gordon, who will transition to executive chairman of the board, a position she will hold until her retirement in July 2018. She took over the top spot at the company, then called Corn Products International, in 2009.
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| Steven Cahillane |
In October, Steven A. Cahillane was been named chief executive officer of Kellogg Co. effective Oct. 2. He succeeds John A. Bryant, who announced plans to retire after seven years leading the Battle Creek, Mich.-based company. Mr. Cahillane most recently was president and c.e.o. of The Nature’s Bounty Co., a health and wellness business.
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| Dirk Van de Put |
A month later, Irene Rosenfeld, c.e.o. of Mondelez International, Inc., retired after 11 years at the helm, giving way to Dirk Van de Put, the former c.e.o. of McCain Foods.
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| William Toler |
Although not done yet, William D. Toler, president and c.e.o. of Hostess Brands, Inc. informed the company of his intent to retire, effective March 1, 2018, or sooner if a replacement is named. Mr. Toler took the helm of Hostess Brands in April 2014, nine months after the company resumed operations following bankruptcy in November 2012.
