TreeHouse Foods (NYSE: THS) announced today the appointment of two independent directors to its Board: Jill Rahman, an accomplished senior leader with deep consumer packaged goods strategy, marketing and operating experience; and Ashley Buchanan, an accomplished retail executive leader, with expertise in merchandising and private brands.
“We are very pleased to welcome Jill and Ashley to the Board. We look forward to the fresh perspectives and insights they will contribute, as they both bring extensive experience in the food and retail industries that will be valuable as the Company continues to refine its strategy and deliver shareholder value,” said Gary D. Smith, Chairman of the Board. “The appointments of Ms. Rahman and Mr. Buchanan reinforce our commitment to refreshment and corporate governance as we plan for upcoming retirements in 2021.”
“My background in marketing, strategic planning, and operations, along with my insights and perspective in consumer-packaged goods, are a strong fit for TreeHouse, and I look forward to collaborating with the outstanding senior management team and the Board,” said Ms. Rahman.
“Private label represents a significant opportunity for both retailers and manufacturers,” said Mr. Buchanan. “Having led the merchandising and operations functions, as well as the e-commerce strategic initiatives, for Walmart and Sam’s Club for a number of years, I see tremendous promise and potential here at TreeHouse and look forward to providing relevant insights and contributions to the Board.”
In connection with these appointments, the Board will temporarily expand to 12 directors. As part of the Board’s plan for orderly governance transition, at the Company’s 2021 Annual Meeting, it is anticipated that nine directors will stand for reelection.
ABOUT JILL RAHMAN
Ms. Rahman currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which includes a network of more than 700 partner organizations which work together to bring food, dignity, and hope across Chicago, and she leads Operations, Finance, IT, Human Resources and Strategic Initiatives. Ms. Rahman has more than 30 years of experience in the consumer-packaged goods industry at companies including The Kraft Heinz Company, Newell Brands, and Conagra Brands. She most recently served as the President of the International division at Conagra Brands from 2016 until her retirement in June 2020.
From 2016 – 2020, Ms. Rahman served on the Board of Directors as Chairman for Agro Tech Foods, a publicly traded affiliate of Conagra Brands in India. Ms. Rahman currently serves on the Board of Directors for Berry Global, Inc. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University and her Master of Business Administration from Indiana University.
ABOUT ASHLEY BUCHANAN
Mr. Buchanan currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Michaels Companies, the United States’ largest arts and crafts retailer. Prior to joining The Michaels Companies, Mr. Buchanan served in numerous roles of increasing leadership and responsibility over his 12-year career at Walmart Inc., most recently as Chief Merchant for Walmart U.S. eCommerce. He also served as the Chief Merchant at Sam’s Club where he led a merchandising team and oversaw activities including assortment, private brand strategy, pricing, global sourcing, packaging, replenishment and supply chain. Mr. Buchanan has also served in a broad set of senior merchandising roles at Walmart Inc.
Prior to his tenure at Walmart, Mr. Buchanan held a variety of positions in finance at Dell and spent five years at Accenture focused on the retail industry. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and real estate as well as a Master of Business Administration from Baylor University.
ABOUT TREEHOUSE FOODS
TreeHouse Foods, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and distributor of private label packaged foods and beverages in North America. We have nearly 40 production facilities across North America and Italy, and our vision is to be the undisputed solutions leader for custom brands for our customers. Our extensive product portfolio includes snacking, beverages and meal preparation products, available in shelf stable, refrigerated, frozen and fresh formats. We have a comprehensive offering of packaging formats and flavor profiles, and we also offer clean label, organic and preservative-free ingredients across almost our entire portfolio. Our purpose is to make high quality food and beverages affordable to all.
Additional information, including TreeHouse’s most recent statements on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, may be found at TreeHouse’s website, http://www.treehousefoods.com.