TreeHouse Foods has invested great attention in its leadership team as of late. From naming Craig McCutcheon as the new Chief Operations Officer to Kevin G. Jackson becoming Chief Commercial Officer and Sean Lewis stepping up as Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, the company is gearing up for major moves. This momentum is only continuing, as TreeHouse recently announced Kristy N. Waterman will join the company as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary, effective July 1, 2021.
Waterman will have responsibility for TreeHouse’s legal, compliance, and ethics organization and will also serve as corporate secretary. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Chief Administrative Officer of DFA Dairy Brands, the division of Dairy Farmers of America that acquired a substantial portion of Dean Foods Company.
She will report directly to Steve Oakland, Chief Executive Officer and President of TreeHouse.
“I am delighted to welcome Kristy to TreeHouse,” said Oakland. “She is a results-driven leader and brings a wealth of experience across securities, capital markets, and mergers and acquisitions. Kristy is an excellent fit for the organization, and we look forward to her strong contributions as TreeHouse continues our strategic journey to build a company with long-term sustainable growth and create value for our customers and our shareholders.”
According to the release, Waterman succeeds Tom O’Neill, who will become a consultant focused on the ongoing litigation with Keurig Green Mountain and provide a smooth transition of his responsibilities.
“I also want to express my deep gratitude to Tom for his many contributions to TreeHouse throughout his tenure,” continued Oakland. “Tom has been instrumental in growing and evolving TreeHouse into the organization it is today. He guided TreeHouse in developing a first-class food safety, regulatory, and compliance culture, and is responsible for establishing our code of ethics, both of which now serve as foundational elements of our great company.”
Prior to DFA Dairy Brands, Waterman served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Government Affairs of Dean Foods Company and had responsibility for all legal and regulatory matters. She joined Dean Foods in 2014 and held positions of increasing responsibility within the legal department. Waterman began her career in the Dallas offices of Gardere, Wynne, Sewell, and Norton Rose Fulbright, where she practiced general and corporate law, with a focus on mergers, acquisitions, transactions, securities, corporate governance, and reporting and filing obligations.
In addition, Waterman received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and earned her law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law.
Congratulations to Kristy Waterman as she steps into her new chapter!
