Movers and Shakers The right people in the right roles can make all the difference


Josh Hart named MIKE AND IKE®’S first Chief Candy Officer


MIKE AND IKE®, the classic fruity, chewy candy loved by fans for generations, is making a major move off the court—signing New York basketball star Josh Hart as the brand’s first-ever Chief Candy Officer (CCO). A self-proclaimed MIKE AND IKE®


superfan, Hart is taking on what might just be his sweetest role yet—turning his lifelong love for the candy into an official front-office gig. As CCO, Hart will play a key role in shaping the brand’s playful personality, experimenting


with new flavours, and offering fans a behind- the-scenes look at what happens when your favorite snack becomes your full-time job. “Anyone who knows me knows MIKE AND IKE® isn’t just a candy to me—it’s the candy,” said Hart. “I’ve been eating these since I was a kid, and I still keep boxes everywhere—at home, in my locker, on the plane. This has been my number one candy forever, so becoming Chief Candy Officer feels like a full-circle moment. It’s more


Bell Names Kelli Heinz as Chief Marketing Officer


Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. (Bell) has announced its new Chief Marketing Officer at its Northbrook, IL-based headquarters, former Vice President of Marketing & Industry Affairs, Kelli Heinz. “Kelli’s appointment as Bell’s Chief Marketing Officer marks how proud we are to recognize Kelli’s dedication and we look forward to the impact she’ll continue to make in this new role,” states Ron Stark, President & CEO. Kicking off her career


in 2006 as a Marketing intern and working her way up the ranks, Kelli brings nearly 20 years of extensive experience in the flavor and fragrance industry. Kelli was recently appointed as the Flavor Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA) President for the 2025-2026 calendar year having served on the FEMA Board of Governors since 2019. In addition to her FEMA involvement, she has served 13


years on the Board of Directors for the Women in Flavor & Fragrance Commerce’s Chicago Chapter and currently represents the Chapter as President as a member of the national board. Since 2018, Kelli has sat on the Board of Directors for the Fragrance Creators Association and the Harvard Business School Club of Chicago. In her new role, Kelli


will continue to lead the U.S. Marketing team, guiding brand strategy, communications, and


creative storytelling, and aligning Bell’s annual Spark Trends program to current global happenings. Across the broader company, Kelli will enhance cross-regional marketing category insights sharing, spearhead the rebranding and rollout of a new digital platform for Bell’s customers and collaborate closely with Bell’s global marketing leaders to elevate the company’s digital customer experience worldwide.


than a title—it’s me representing something I’ve loved my whole life.” To celebrate the partnership, MIKE AND


IKE® will roll out a new social media series following Hart as he settles into his candy- fueled role. Fans can expect to see Hart in action—taste-testing new flavours in the R&D lab, running “candy drafts” in the Just Born boardroom, packing boxes on the production line, and even taking mock press questions about his sweet new gig


Mike Gomes named VP of supply chain North America for Perfetti Van Melle


Confectioner Perfetti Van Melle announces it has named Mike Gomes as Vice President of Supply Chain North America, reporting to Sylvia Buxton, President/CEO of the company’s Americas business unit. Gomes takes over the


responsibility of the Perfetti Van Melle North America End- to-End Supply Chain including three factories: Erlanger, Kentucky; Rockford, Illinois; and Toluca, Mexico. He brings to Perfetti


Van Melle over 30 years of successful supply chain experience and manufacturing excellence with global experience within CPG and food industry companies such as Procter & Gamble, Mondelz, Bonduelle, and more. He’s a high-performance leader with multicultural experience around the globe and success overseeing dozens of factories


and thousands of employees. “Demand continues


to be strong in our North America existing business of Airheads candy, Mentos gum and mints, and Chupa Chups, as well as the Trident, Dentyne and Bubblicious chewing gum brands Perfetti acquired a year ago,” Buxton commented. “We’re pleased to have Mike bring his leadership and extensive experience in the food and CPG industry to our North America supply chain team, which plays a vital part in our future growth and delivery of category innovation to our markets.”


38 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • NOVEMBER 2025


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