{"id":5177,"date":"2012-01-17T15:54:56","date_gmt":"2012-01-17T20:54:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/?p=5177"},"modified":"2012-02-13T15:44:10","modified_gmt":"2012-02-13T20:44:10","slug":"qa-meet-in-coming-stonyfield-ceo-walt-freese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/new-hampshire\/2012\/01\/17\/qa-meet-in-coming-stonyfield-ceo-walt-freese\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: Meet In-Coming Stonyfield CEO Walt Freese"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Stonyfield<\/p>

Walt Freese, 57, will begin taking over Stonyfield from Gary Hirshberg on January 23.<\/p><\/div>\n

Stonyfield<\/a> co-founder Gary Hirshberg created a bit of a stir in New Hampshire’s business press when he announced he was stepping down as CEO and moving over to the Chairman role.\u00a0 We recently spoke with Hirshberg about his 28 years at Stonyfield<\/a>, his role in the natural food movement, and how the growing organics market is struggling and succeeding.<\/p>\n

But of course, this move raises a key question:\u00a0 How will Stonyfield be run under new leadership?<\/p>\n

So we sat down with Walt Freese–most recently former CEO of Ben & Jerry’s<\/a>–and Hirshberg’s hand-picked successor–to discuss the transition and the future of Stonyfield.<\/p>\n

Q: <\/span>Gary Hirshberg has been very up-front with the fact that he specifically selected you to take over the company.\u00a0 Could you describe how that came about?<\/p>\n

A: <\/span>Gary and I have known each other for at least five years.\u00a0 We got to know each other at first through being in aligned-values-type companies.\u00a0 We shared suppliers and things, and from there, we develoed a friendship.\u00a0 And Gary first talked with me about the idea of taking over at Stonyfield when I was leaving Ben & Jerry’s [in 2010], and we both found that it wasn\u2019t the right time.\u00a0 For it to be a good fit for both of us, it would have to be at another time.<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

And of course, I\u2019ve been a fan of, and consumer of, Stonyfield for years, and I think eaten my weight in their product each year.\u00a0 So when things did started to change back in November of last year, Gary did reach out to me\u2026and we had a great conversation that lasted the afternoon, and that was really the impetus for the move today. I couldn\u2019t be more excited, more honored to be selected for this role by Gary who I consider to be a real icon in the world of values-led business and sustainability.<\/p>\n

Q: <\/span>Could you delve a bit more into why the timing wasn’t right for you to take over as Stonyfield CEO back in 2010?<\/p>\n

A: <\/span>My career ambitions and the role I wanted to play in a company versus what Gary was thinking at that point in time, weren\u2019t aligned. We did this in a very collaborative way\u2026We mutually reached this conclusion. Gary’s role [now] is very different [from what we discussed to years ago].\u00a0 In some respects [we would] have had overlapping roles in the context of a CEO-President type relationship.\u00a0 As much as we wanted to work together, we both agreed it wouldn’t be the most functional relationship for the company or for us personally.\u00a0 And meanwhile, I was quite happy to take some time off, to see my family, who I didn’t see much of working with Ben & Jerry’s.<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

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NHPR<\/p>

Outgoing CEO Gary Hirshberg will continue discussing the Stonyfield business model and the organic food movement with the media<\/p><\/div>\n

Now, I think Gary and I are very clearly aligned in our roles, and I think it reflects the creativity and flexibility of a business like Stonyfield to leverage the abilities of everyone in the business. [From] hourly employees on up to senior management, we need to be more creative, [and] not in lock-step with old paradigms in business.\u00a0 [This also] gives Gary a chance to focus on specific aspects [of the business] and more ways to be a visible public advocate for the environment, labeling, transparency, and organic [food].<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

[The position at Stonyfield] will be very similar for me, to the role that I played at Ben & Jerry’s.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be CEO and President with full responsibility of CEO and President.\u00a0 All the members of the executive team will report directly to me.\u00a0 Gary will not have an office in the building, so [he] won\u2019t be involved in the day to day management of the Stonyfield business. But I\u2019m very glad that he\u2019s going to be involved as Chairman of the Board…Probably the most important contribution he will make [as Chairman] is the talent that he has to be such an articulate advocate and spokesperson for the environment, organics, transparency in food labeling and more.\u00a0 So I know it will be a very positive working relationship.<\/p>\n

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