The Leadership Change

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) named Dave Hulays Chief Financial Officer effective September 2, 2026, pulling from internal ranks to fill one of the confectionery giant's most critical seats. Hulays succeeds Steve Voskuil, who announced plans to retire in early 2027 and will move into an SVP, Strategic Projects role to support the CEO and board during the handoff.

For c-store operators, Hershey remains one of the highest-velocity candy and snack suppliers on the planogram — a CFO transition at the company carries downstream implications for trade spending, promotional calendars, and category investment priorities.

Hulays' Background

Hulays joined Hershey in 2012 as VP Finance, Canada, and has since held progressively broader roles covering the U.S. and international businesses, Global Supply Chain, M&A, Corporate FP&A, Finance Strategy, Global Tax & Treasury, and Enterprise Transformation. Before Hershey, he spent 15 years at Procter & Gamble across commercial, supply chain, strategy, and global business development functions in North America and internationally.

That cross-functional depth — particularly his time overseeing supply chain finance — is relevant for a channel where in-stock rates and fill percentages directly drive basket size and impulse conversion at the register. Hershey's ability to maintain consistent forecourt-adjacent inventory through its distributor network has long been a competitive differentiator in convenience.

What It Means for the Channel

Kirk Tanner, President and CEO of The Hershey Company, described Hulays as "an enterprise-minded finance leader who has helped shape nearly every corner of this business, from our commercial and supply chain organizations to our growth agenda." Tanner credited Voskuil, who led Hershey's finance function for seven years, as "an incredible partner" whose continued involvement will support key priorities through the transition.

Hulays acknowledged the handoff directly: "Working alongside Steve over the years has been a privilege, and his mentorship has played an important role in preparing for this transition."

For convenience retailers tracking supplier financial leadership shifts, the appointment signals continuity rather than disruption — Hulays is a known quantity inside Hershey's commercial and supply chain organizations, reducing the risk of abrupt shifts in trade terms or channel strategy. Voskuil's extended runway through early 2027 further cushions any transition risk heading into the critical holiday confectionery season.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.