Joe Park joins Hershey (NYSE: HSY) board, audit and risk committees
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
8-K
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
The Hershey Company appointed Joe Park to its Board of Directors, effective June 29, 2026. The decision was made by the Board on June 3, 2026 following a recommendation from its Governance Committee.
Park will serve on the Board’s Audit and Finance and Risk Management Committees. He brings over 20 years of experience in digital transformation and technology leadership at major consumer companies, including State Farm, Yum! Brands, Pizza Hut Global, and Walmart. The Board determined he qualifies as an independent director under New York Stock Exchange standards. He will be compensated under Hershey’s standard non-employee director compensation program as described in its 2026 proxy statement.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
8-K Event Classification
2 items: 5.02, 9.01
2 items
Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers
Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Board appointment date: June 3, 2026
Effective date as director: June 29, 2026
Proxy statement filing date: March 25, 2026
3 metrics
Board appointment date
June 3, 2026
Date the Board approved Joe Park’s appointment
Effective date as director
June 29, 2026
Date Joe Park’s Board service begins
Proxy statement filing date
March 25, 2026
Date of proxy describing non-employee director compensation
Key Terms
independent director, Audit and Finance and Risk Management Committees, non-employee director compensation program, Regulation S-K
4 terms
independent director financial
"The Board has determined that Mr. Park qualifies as an independent director under the New York Stock Exchange listing standards."
An independent director is a member of a company's board of directors who is not involved in the company's day-to-day operations and has no significant relationships with the company that could influence their judgment. Their role is to provide unbiased oversight and ensure the company is managed in the best interests of all shareholders. This helps build trust and confidence among investors by promoting transparency and accountability.
Audit and Finance and Risk Management Committees financial
"Mr. Park will serve as a member of the Audit and Finance and Risk Management Committees of the Board."
non-employee director compensation program financial
"Mr. Park will be compensated for his service on the Board in accordance with the Company’s non-employee director compensation program..."
Regulation S-K regulatory
"...there are no transactions that require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K as a result of his appointment to the Board."
A set of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules that tell public companies which narrative and qualitative details must be disclosed in filings, such as risk factors, management discussion, executive pay, legal proceedings and business description. Think of it as a standardized checklist or blueprint that ensures investors get the same types of background information from every company so they can compare risks, management quality and strategy before making investment decisions.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
THE HERSHEY CO MPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||||
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
(717 ) 534-4200
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | ||||||||
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | ||||||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | ||||||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) | ||||||||
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
| Emerging Growth Company | ||||||||
| If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. | ☐ | |||||||
| Item 5.02. | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. | |||||||
On June 3, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of The Hershey Company (the “Company”), upon the recommendation of its Governance Committee, appointed Joe Park to serve as a member of the Board, effective June 29, 2026. Mr. Park will serve as a member of the Audit and Finance and Risk Management Committees of the Board.
Mr. Park has over 20 years of experience leading digital transformation, technology strategy, and innovation across global consumer and service organizations. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer at State Farm, where he is responsible for the technology, data, and innovation functions. Prior to joining State Farm, Mr. Park held multiple senior leadership roles at Yum! Brands (“Yum!”), a multinational restaurant corporation, including Chief Digital and Technology Officer and President of Byte by Yum!, an AI-driven restaurant technology platform. He also served as Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Pizza Hut, Global and as Chief Innovation Officer at Yum!. Earlier in his career, Mr. Park served as Vice President, Associate Digital Experience and Enterprise Architecture at Walmart.
The Board has determined that Mr. Park qualifies as an independent director under the New York Stock Exchange listing standards. There is no arrangement or understanding between Mr. Park and any other persons pursuant to which Mr. Park was selected as a director, and there are no transactions that require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K as a result of his appointment to the Board.
Mr. Park will be compensated for his service on the Board in accordance with the Company’s non-employee director compensation program as described in the Company’s proxy statement for its 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 25, 2026.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. | |||||||||||||
| (d) | Exhibits. | |||||||||||||
| Exhibit Number | Description | |||||||||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | |||||||||||||
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| THE HERSHEY COMPANY | ||||||||||||||
| Date: June 9, 2026 | By: | /s/ James Turoff | ||||||||||||
| James Turoff Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary | ||||||||||||||
FAQ
What did The Hershey Company (HSY) announce in this 8-K filing?
The Hershey Company announced the appointment of Joe Park to its Board of Directors, effective June 29, 2026. The Board also assigned him to the Audit and Finance and Risk Management Committees and confirmed his status as an independent director under NYSE listing standards.
Who is Joe Park, the new director appointed by Hershey (HSY)?
Joe Park is a senior technology and digital executive with over 20 years of experience. He serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer at State Farm, and previously held major digital and innovation leadership roles at Yum! Brands, Pizza Hut Global, and Walmart.
When does Joe Park’s appointment to Hershey’s (HSY) Board become effective?
Joe Park’s appointment to The Hershey Company’s Board of Directors becomes effective on June 29, 2026. The Board approved his appointment on June 3, 2026, following a recommendation from its Governance Committee, as disclosed in the company’s current report on Form 8-K.
Which Board committees will Joe Park serve on at The Hershey Company (HSY)?
Joe Park will serve on Hershey’s Audit Committee and its Finance and Risk Management Committee. These assignments place him in key oversight roles for the company’s financial reporting, capital structure, and risk management processes as part of his Board responsibilities.
Is Joe Park considered an independent director under NYSE rules for Hershey (HSY)?
Yes. The Board determined that Joe Park qualifies as an independent director under New York Stock Exchange listing standards. This means he meets the NYSE’s criteria for independence, supporting objective oversight of Hershey’s management and corporate governance practices.
How will Joe Park be compensated for serving on Hershey’s (HSY) Board?
Joe Park will be compensated under Hershey’s standard non-employee director compensation program. The company states this program is described in its proxy statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the SEC on March 25, 2026.