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User:Hmich176/Hersheypark/Hershey E&R/List of HE&R Chief Executives

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For the list of Hersheypark general managers, see here.

General manager

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From 1928 to some time in the 1930s, there was a position known as General Manager of Hershey Estates. This made the president position, first filled by William F. R. Murrie, who was also president of the Hershey Chocolate Corporation, generally a figurehead position.

The only general manager of Hershey Estates was Charles F. Ziegler, from January 1, 1928 until sometime in the 1930s.

President

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From 1928 to 1968, the chief executive of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company (during this period of time called Hershey Estates), was the person who had the title of president. The position was created in 1928 - for the prior two months in 1927, the company only had a board of directors.

# Name Worked Duration
in years
Ref(s)
First year Last year
1 William F. R. Murrie
1928
Unknown Unknown
2 Milton S. Hershey
c. 1935
Unknown Unknown
3 Charles F. Ziegler
c. 1936
1949
Unknown
4 John B. Sollenberger
1949
1962
13
5 Arthur R. Whiteman
1962
1968
6

Chief Executive Officer

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Hershey Entertainment & Resorts created the position of Chief Executive Officer in 1968. This was a higher level position than president; this means that the person in the role of president was now the person-in-waiting to become the chief executive of the company. The chief executive officer held a seat on the company's board of directors. It is unclear exactly how the title was used after it was announced in 1968. As the first person to hold the role was also elevated to Chairman of the Board, Arthur Whiteman's title was often referred as Chairman of the Board rather than Chief Executive Officer.

When Whiteman retired, James E. Bobb succeeded him as Chairman of the Board, but remained as President of the company. It is unclear if the Chief Executive Officer title existed or had simply dropped out of use; however, it is more likely that the title was not given to Bobb since he was obviously temporarily promoted as leader of the company. Bobb retired 3 months after becoming Chairman of the Board, Edward R. Book succeeding him as chairman and president of the company. At some point in his 13 year leadership, Book resumed the title of CEO, which brought the CEO position to the top leadership position in the company as it is today.

The only exception to this is when J. Bruce McKinney stepped down as CEO in 1999. McKinney, who had been promoted to the position of chairman of the board of directors of the company in 1989, remained chairman for another year (retiring in April 2000). In that role, he remained the face of the company much more than his successor as CEO, Scott J. Newkam was during that year.

# Name Worked Duration
in years
Ref(s)
Start date End date
1 Arthur R. Whiteman
02/06/1968
06/30/1974
6.4
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2 James E. Bobb
07/01/1974
09/01/1974
0.25
3 Edward R. Book
09/02/1974
08/01/1987
12.92
4 J. Bruce McKinney
08/02/1987
09/24/1999
12.16
5 Scott J. Newkam
09/25/1999
12/31/2006
7.27
6 Ted J. Kleisner
01/01/2007
12/31/2012
6
7 William F. Simpson, Jr.
01/01/2013
06/14/2017
4.44
8 John Lawn
06/14/2017
Current 7 years

CEO Emeritus

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In June of 2016, Chief Executive Officer William F. Simpson notified the Board of Directors of the company of his intention to resign from his position effective January 5, 2018. On September 30, 2016, John Lawn was named president of the company. It was also announced he would succeed Simpson as CEO. On June 14, 2017, Lawn was promoted to CEO effective that day, and Simpson resigned as CEO, taking the title CEO Emeritus. CEO Emeritus is an honorific title and had no actual responsibilities attached to it.

This is the only time this title has been used. The title was in place from June 14, 2017, until January 5, 2018.

Chairman of the Board

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The title of Chairman of the Board was created in 1968 in tandem with the new chief executive officer role, to give that position a seat on the company's board of directors. In more recent years, when a new chief executive has been hired, the position has been left vacant for approximately a year, and the chief executive seated as a director on the board of directors. After that period the chief executive would be promoted to chairman of the board and their old seat filled by a newly appointed director.

Chairman of the Board is not a higher position than Chief Executive Officer because the board of directors is outside the chain of command of the company.

# Name Start date End date Ref(s)
1 Arthur R. Whiteman
02/06/1968
06/30/1974
2 James E. Bobb
07/01/1974
09/01/1974
3 Edward R. Book
09/02/1974
08/01/1987
Vacated
4 J. Bruce McKinney
10/31/1989
04/15/2000
5 Scott J. Newkam
04/16/2000
12/31/2006
Vacated
6 Ted J. Kleisner
01/01/2012
12/31/2012
Vacated
7 John Lawn
09/2019
Current

References

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  1. ^ "C. F. Ziegler Head of Hershey Estate". Lancaster New Era. January 5, 1928. p. 19. William F. R. Murie, president of the Hershey Chocolate Corporation, was elected president of the Hershey Estate...
  2. ^ "Former Window Washer To End Hershey Empire Rule". Sunbury Daily Item. Sunbury, PA. August 19, 1949. p. 1. Charles F. Ziegler, a one-time window washer who rose to the presidency of the Hershey Estates, announced today that he will resign September 1.
  3. ^ "Heads Hershey Estates". The Lock Haven Express. Lock Haven, PA. September 1, 1949. p. 1. John B. Sollenberger, 52, was elected president of Hershey Estates to succeed Charles F. Ziegler.
  4. ^ "President Resigns at Hershey". Lancaster New Era. June 25, 1962. p. 21. John B. Sollenberger president and general manager of Hershey Estates since 1949, will retire Friday...
  5. ^ "Hershey Estates President Named". The Indiana Gazette. Indiana, PA. July 2, 1962. p. 12. Arthur R. Whiteman, 49, has been named president of Hershey Estates succeeding John B. Sollenberger, who retired Friday.
  6. ^ "James E. Bobb Retires September 1 As President of Hershey Estates". Elizabethtown Chronicle. Elizabethtown, PA. August 22, 1974. p. S2-1. James E. Bobb, president of Hershey Estates and chairman of the board, announced his forthcoming retirement effective September 1.
  7. ^ "Hershey Estates Head Is Named". Lebanon Daily News. August 24, 1974. p. 17. Edward R. Book has been elected chairman of the board and president of Hershey Estates, replacing James E. Bobb...
  8. ^ "Herco names board CEO". Lebanon Daily News. September 26, 1999. ...Newkam replaces J. Bruce McKinney, who will continue as board chairman. ... Herco spokeswoman Kim Schaller said McKinney will remain active with the company for the foreseeable future.
  9. ^ "Companies". Intelligencer Journal. Lancaster, PA. October 4, 1999. The board of directors of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co. elected Scott J. Newkam as president and chief executive officer.
  10. ^ a b "Newkam, Herco chief, to retire". Lebanon Daily News. November 26, 2006. p. 9C. The board of directors announced last week the retimrent of Chairman and CEO Scott J. Newkam, effective Dec. 31.
  11. ^ "Tourism company names new executive". The Daily Item. Sunbury, PA. December 10, 2006. p. D2. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co. ... has named a new chief executive. Ted J. Kleisner will replace Scott J. Newkam on Jan. 1...
  12. ^ "New CEO at Hershey Entertainment". Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era. November 15, 2012. p. B1. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co. says its president, William F. Simpson Jr., will become chief executive when Ted Kleisner retires at the end of the year.
  13. ^ "Hershey Entertainment taps company veteran to serve as CEO". PennLive.com. June 14, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2020. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company has named as its new chief executive officer John Lawn…
  14. ^ "Herco announces board chairman". Lebanon Daily News. October 31, 1989. p. 16. J. Bruce McKinney has been elected chairman of the board of Hershey Entertainment and Resort Co.
  15. ^ a b Sottile, Dave (February 4, 2000). "McKinney retirement set". York Daily Record. p. 2C. J. Bruce McKinney, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts' chairman of the board, effective in mid-April...McKinney...will be succeeded by Scott J. Newkam, president and chief executive officer of the company.
  16. ^ "New CEO at Hershey Entertainment". Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era. November 15, 2012. p. B1. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co. says its president, William F. Simpson Jr., will become chief executive when Ted Kleisner retires at the end of the year.
  17. ^ "Two New Board Members Join Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company". Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company. January 10, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020. In September 2019, the HE&R Board of Directors elected John Lawn as Chairman...