HERSHEY, Pa., April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hershey Foods Corporation
today announced the election to its Board of Directors of Harriet Edelman,
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Avon Products, Inc., and
Marie J. Toulantis, Chief Executive Officer, Barnes & Noble.com, effective
April 22, 2003.
In announcing the elections, Richard H. Lenny, Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer said, "We're most pleased to have both Harriet and
Marie join the Hershey Foods Board of Directors. Their vast experience in the
consumer goods industry is of great value as we continue to build the Hershey
portfolio of leading brands."
Harriet Edelman currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief
Information Officer, Avon Products, Inc., with responsibility for Avon's
information technology strategy and operations globally. Avon's 1,400
Information Technology Associates around the world deliver technology
infrastructure and solutions to serve the company's 3.9 million sales
Representatives and operations in 143 countries. Edelman has held leadership
positions in marketing, sales, supply chain, customer service, and planning
and information technology, with U.S. and international responsibilities. She
is a member of the Operating Committee and has served as an officer of the
company since 1987.
Edelman holds a master's of business administration in marketing from
Fordham's Graduate Business School and a bachelor's degree in music from
Bucknell University.
She serves on the Board of Directors of the Blair Corporation, the Direct
Selling Association, the Police Athletic League and the Institute of Women's
Policy Research.
Marie J. Toulantis currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Barnes &
Noble.com, the publicly-traded Internet commerce company. Toulantis joined
Barnes & Noble.com as Chief Financial Officer in 1999 and oversaw its
successful initial public offering (IPO), which raised nearly $500 million in
the largest Internet IPO to be completed at that time. She was appointed
President and Chief Operating Officer in 2001, and under her leadership Barnes
& Noble.com has become one of the top-five e-commerce Web sites, attracting
approximately 10 million unique visitors per month. Toulantis joined Barnes &
Noble, Inc., in 1997 as Executive Vice President with responsibility for
Finance and later was appointed Chief Financial Officer. Prior to Barnes &
Noble, Inc., she served as Senior Vice President at the Chase Manhattan Bank
where she oversaw the bank's relationship with mid-size companies in
Manhattan.
Toulantis holds a bachelor's of business administration in marketing from
Pace University's Lubin School of Business.
About Hershey Foods Corporation
Hershey Foods Corporation (NYSE: HSY) is the leading North American
manufacturer of quality chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery and
chocolate-related grocery products. Some of the company's most popular
products include HERSHEY(R)'S chocolate and chocolate with almonds bars,
HERSHEY(R)'S KISSES(R) chocolates, REESE'S(R) peanut butter cups, JOLLY
RANCHER(R) and TWIZZLERS(R) candies, HERSHEY(R)'S cocoa, and HERSHEY(R)'S
syrup. The company also is a market leader in the gum and mint category with
such well-known brands as ICE BREAKERS(R), BREATH SAVERS(R), and BUBBLE
YUM(R).
SOURCE Hershey Foods Corporation
CONTACT: MEDIA: Christine Dugan, +1-717-508-3238, or FINANCIAL: James A.
Edris, +1-717-534-7556, both of Hershey Foods/
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