Hershey Trust CEO Vowler to retire in April 2009

According to media agency Reuters, Hershey Trust Co, which controls a majority stake in chocolate maker Hershey Co, said that trust Chief Executive Robert Vowler would retire in April 2009. During Vowler s 12-year tenure as CEO, the trust occasionally has had a high profile, including in November when it forced an overhaul of Hershey Co s board of directors.

The trust, which controlled 78 percent of Hershey s voting shares late last year, also pushed Hershey management to put the company up for sale in 2002 in an effort to diversify its holdings. It later had Hershey pulled off the block following intense public pressure from community groups and elected officials. The trust was established in 1905 by Hershey Co founder Milton Hershey and maintains voting rights on behalf of the Milton Hershey School Trust.

Vowler, 53, will scale back his duties over the next year and serve as an advisor during that time, the Hershey Trust said. As Vowler scales back, Vincent Rudisill, the trust s chief investment officer, will serve as executive of the Milton Hershey School Trust. Andrew Keefer, vice president, director of personal trust investments and assistant secretary, will serve as interim executive of the trust s services to individual and institutional investors.