Michele Buck

Hershey president, chairman, and CEO Michele Buck has gone from humble beginnings to sweet success. Buck grew up on a farm without plumbing, eventually putting herself through school before spending years at Hershey competitors like Frito Lay. She took over as head of the $10-billion-revenue company in 2017 after serving as chief operating officer. Since then, Hershey has acquired SkinnyPop Popcorn, Pirate’s Booty, and Dot Pretzels, and Buck has kept the company on sure footing in years of pandemic-related volatility and inflation concerns. Hershey’s net income was $1.6 billion during inflation-heavy 2022, and overall, profits have grown more than 70% during Buck’s tenure.