Kirk Tanner

Kirk Tanner joined Hershey in August 2025 as President and CEO. Kirk is a seasoned, performance-driven leader with more than 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, driving strategic growth for iconic brands.

Before joining Hershey, Tanner was President and Chief Executive Officer of Wendy’s. Prior to Wendy's, he spent three decades at PepsiCo, Inc., where he served as Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo Beverages North America, overseeing a $25 billion business across a diverse portfolio of iconic brands such as Gatorade, Mountain Dew and Celsius. Earlier in his PepsiCo career, Tanner held numerous leadership roles across sectors and regions, including President and Chief Operating Officer, North America Beverages, President, Global Foodservice, Senior Vice President of Frito-Lay North America's West region, and Vice President of Sales for PepsiCo U.K. and Ireland.

Tanner serves on the public board of the V.F. Corporation and was the director of the American Beverage Association. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Utah, where he also serves on the advisory board of the university’s David Eccles School of Business.