• January 16, 2008

Surinder Kumar, chief innovation officer, will retire from the Wrigley Company on July 1, and Rob Peterson, currently vice president/new products and packaging, will succeed him in this position.

Kumar joined Wrigley in 2000, and served as the Company's first-ever chief innovation officer.

Peterson has been part of the Wrigley Innovation Team since 2006. Prior to joining Wrigley, he led technical organizations at Pactiv, Newell Rubbermaid, and Procter & Gamble.

He is being immediately promoted to the position of vice president-innovation, and will work closely with Kumar over the next six months to transition responsibilities. Peterson will assume the title of vice president and chief innovation officer, reporting directly to Bill Perez upon Kumar's retirement in July.

--Nina M. Lentini