America’s Iconic Food Gifting Company, Hickory Farms, Hires New Chief Financial Officer
Chicago - July 23, 2019 - Hickory Farms LLC, a leading food gifting retailer since 1951, today announced that Kevin Rule has been named the company’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Based in the Chicago headquarters, he will oversee the organization’s finance function including accounting, bank relationships, financial planning and analysis, risk management, and M&A activity. In addition, he will play an integral role in shaping the strategic direction of the company.
"We are thrilled to have such a seasoned veteran on board in this very important position,” said Diane Pearse, CEO and President. “Kevin brings a wealth of knowledge and more than 25 years of finance experience. He is an agile leader with a diverse background and proven track record that makes him perfect for this position.”
Before joining Hickory Farms, Kevin served as Vice President Finance & Controller, Business Unit Chief Financial Officer for the North American Division of Consumer Paint at the Sherwin-Williams Company—a position in which he drove meaningful top line growth.
From 2015-2017 he held the role of Senior Director and Head of Finance, North America Consumer Paint for the Valspar Corporation. Prior to Valspar, Kevin spent 17 years at Kraft Foods where he held a variety of financial positions that supported multiple verticals including manufacturing and supply chain, in addition to corporate financial planning and analysis.
As a consummate corporate leader, Kevin has a demonstrated track record of driving results, executing transformational change and forging a strategic vision. Equally comfortable calling the plays from the plant floor or at corporate headquarters, his multidisciplinary skill set includes working in a matrix environment, leading teams, financial planning & analysis, capital allocation, network optimization, competitive benchmarking and contingency planning.
Kevin’s educational credentials include a bachelor’s of business administration from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s of business administration in finance, marketing, management and strategy from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. Kevin is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
About Hickory Farms, LLC
Since 1951, Hickory Farms LLC has been a leading retailer of food gifts and specialty foods available online, in catalogs, and in leading mass merchants, supermarkets, and 500+ seasonal retail shopping locations in the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.HickoryFarms.com or join the conversation on Instagram; Facebook; Pinterest; or Twitter.
Media Contact: Diana Davis Hickory Farms Email: Diana.Davis@hickoryfarms.com Tel: 312.361.3469
Leah Lupo Praytell Agency Email: Leah@PraytellAgency.com Tel: 516.659.4456