Hain Celestial: Announces Executive Appointments

Lake Success / NY. (hc) The Hain Celestial Group Inc., a leading natural and organic products company with operations in North America, Europe and India providing consumers with A Healthier Way of Life, announced recent executive team appointments for Hain Celestial United States, Hain Pure Protein Corporation and Hain Celestial United Kingdom.

«We are very pleased to announce the appointment of these seasoned consumer packaged foods industry executives. They further strengthen our worldwide leadership team and their future contributions will be invaluable as Hain Celestial grows to the next level internationally with the strength of our diversified portfolio of organic, natural and better-for-you brands», commented Irwin D. Simon, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hain Celestial.

Hain Celestial United States

Gary W. Tickle joins Hain Celestial as Chief Operating Officer. He is a proven leader, both in the United States and internationally, having served in various executive roles driving innovation, global strategy development and execution at Nestlé Group. Gary most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Nestle Infant Nutrition North America with responsibility for the Gerber and Nestle brands. Prior to this role, Gary served as the Global Head, Maternal and Infant Nutrition Strategic Business Unit in Vevey, Switzerland, as the Regional Business Head, South Asia based in New Delhi, India in Infant Nutrition and Chief Executive Officer, Auckland, New Zealand with responsibility for Baking, Beverages, Cereals, Confections, Frozen Food. Gary will oversee the sales and marketing functions for the Better-for-You Snacking and Better-for-You Pantry platforms and brands in the United States.

Jerome «Jay» W. Erskin joins Hain Celestial as Chief Supply Chain Officer. He is a results oriented operations executive with strong experience in the food and beverage industries in the United States, having started his business career at Kraft Foods Inc. as a Manufacturing and Procurement Manager. Jay also served in various capacities as Plant Director and Procurement Director at The Dannon Company, Inc.; Manufacturing Director at MARS Petcare, NA; Vice President, Operations at Chobani, LLC and more recently, Chief Operating Officer at SK Food Group, Inc. Jay will oversee the supply chain as well as productivity for Hain Celestial United States.

James «Jamie» F. G. Fay joins Hain Celestial as Chief Customer Officer with a substantial background as a senior sales and marketing executive in the natural, conventional and mass channels. Most recently Jamie served as Senior Vice President, Global Sales for Nature’s Path Foods. Previously, Jamie worked in positions of increasing responsibility at Mars, Inc. ascending to a Senior Vice President, Sales role on the North America Chocolate business. Jamie also worked in various sales and marketing positions for Group Danone in the United States and Canada. Jamie will oversee the sales functions for Hain Celestial United States including Consumer and Customer Analytics and Trade Marketing along with the marketing function for Better-for-You Baby.

Additionally, Hain Celestial appointed Leah Dunmore as Vice President, Marketing, Better-for-You Pantry for Hain Celestial United States, having previously held positions at Campbell Soup Company as Vice President, U.S. Soup; and Mars Chocolate, North America as Marketing Director, M+M’s Business. Earlier in her career, Leah spent over a decade with SC John in various marketing leadership roles across a wide range of brands. At Celestial Seasonings, Tim Collins joined the Company as Vice President, Marketing, with responsibility for the Celestial «Seasonings» tea and «Dream» plant-based beverage brands, having previously held positions with Kraft Heinz Company as Marketing Director, Kraft Enhancers and Associate Marketing Director, Frozen Snacks; Senior Brand Manager, Teavana at Starbucks as well as various marketing positions at Procter and Gamble.

Hain Pure Protein Corporation

James R. Meiers has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, Hain Pure Protein Corporation overseeing the «Empire» Kosher, «Plainville Farms» and «FreeBird» poultry brands and the protein business of Hain Celestial in addition to his responsibilities as Chief Operations Officer at Hain Celestial, including the Company’s recently announced Project Terra worldwide cost savings initiative.

Hain Celestial United Kingdom

James Skidmore has been appointed Chief Executive Officer Hain Daniels, having joined the Company with the Orchard House Foods Limited acquisition in December 2015. James is responsible for the Hain Daniels business with its Grocery, Fruit and Chilled and Frozen business units.