Will Bonifant

Vice President, Manufacturing, Operations Technology and Supply Chain Strategy, The Hershey Company

Will is responsible for leading: the 20 manufacturing plants supporting Hershey’s North America Confection and Salty Snacks business units; the Supply Chain team that designs and optimizes our network; and the Operations Technology group that drives automation and advanced technology development. Together, these teams are leading the Digital Transformation across Hershey manufacturing plants. Will has held several other leadership roles with Hershey:

VP, Enterprise Transformation – Launched and led the company’s transformation and restructuring program. Built plans for $400M+ in productivity. Delivered a complex reorganization.
VP, Supply Chain, Confection & Salty Snacks – responsible for leading planning, distribution, transportation, commercialization, packaging development, continuous improvement, and co-manufacturing functions that support the US Confection and Salty Snacks business units, as well as the Salty Snacks manufacturing plant network.
VP, US & Canada Supply Chain – Responsible for Supply Chain enabling Hershey’s U.S. and Canada Confection business units.
VP, International Supply Chain & Manufacturing – responsible for leading Hershey’s operations outside the US, including 7 manufacturing plants and the end-to-end supply chains for our International business units.
VP, Global Engineering – responsible for delivery of Hershey’s capital investment portfolio, development of technical solutions to support commercialization of new products, and development of advanced digital and technical solutions.
Global leadership assignment (3 years in Shanghai China) – led the end‑to-end China Supply Chain and several of the AEMEA Region Supply Chain groups (including Regional Engineering and Packaging Development).
Plant Manager, Reese’s Plant – ensured the personal safety of over 700 employees and ensured safe, quality production of two iconic Hershey brands, Reese’s and Kit Kat.
Director, Global Supply Chain Network Design & Optimization – responsible for developing supply chain strategies across Hershey’s global network.
Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy – played a key role in the development of the Corporate vision & strategies and Hershey’s commercial strategic plan.

Prior to joining Hershey in 2011, Will was a Project Leader with The Boston Consulting Group, where he led projects in strategy, organizational design, supply chain transformation, and cost reduction. Will’s industry experience has spanned confectionery, retail pharmacy, alcoholic beverages, retail office superstore, fast moving consumer goods, and consumer eye health.

Earlier in his career, Will spent 8 years as a US Navy officer. He served in many leadership and power plant supervisory roles on the USS GEORGIA, a ballistic missile submarine. He also spent 3 years as a nuclear power regulator, working in areas of electrical engineering and instrumentation design.

Will received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the US Naval Academy. He also holds an engineering Master of Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.