Michele Buck
Michele G. Buck | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age Central Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Chairman, President, and CEO of The Hershey Company |
Michele G. Buck (born 1960 or 1961) is an American executive. In March 2017, she made history as the first woman to hold the combined roles of Chairman, President, and CEO at The Hershey Company, taking over from John Bilbrey.
Early life and education
Originating from central Pennsylvania, Buck obtained her undergraduate degree from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and completed her MBA at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1987.
Career
Prior to joining Hershey in 2005, Buck dedicated 17 years to Kraft/Nabisco, where she occupied executive positions including Senior Vice President and General Manager for Kraft Confections. Additionally, she held prominent roles within Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo.
During her tenure at Hershey, Buck was instrumental in leading significant acquisitions such as Krave Beef Jerky in 2015 and barkThins, a brand focused on healthier chocolate options, in 2016. Before being appointed CEO, she served as Chief Operating Officer, managing operations across North America as well as Central and South America. In 2017, under her guidance, Hershey completed its largest acquisition to date by acquiring Amplify Snack Brands for $1.6 billion, greatly enhancing the company's footprint in the healthy snacks sector.
Buck holds a position on the board of directors for New York Life Insurance Company and co-leads benefits initiatives for the Children's Brain Tumor Foundation. In October 2019, she was named chairman of Hershey’s board while maintaining her roles as president and CEO.
In 2023, Buck was ranked 73rd on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list and earned total compensation of $15.6 million—360 times the median wage of Hershey employees.
In December 2024, it was announced that Buck would join the board of directors at JPMorgan Chase starting March 2025. She has declared intentions to retire from Hershey by June 2026.
Awards
While serving as Senior Vice President and President of U.S. Snacks at Hershey in 2005, Buck was honored with the Women Worth Watching Award.
In 2018, she received the Corporate Citizenship Award from the Committee for Economic Development (CED).
Buck has consistently been recognized on Fortune's "Most Powerful Women" lists throughout her career.