 Profile
Eric Lent is a proven veteran in senior general management and a marketing executive with a successful history of visionary and strategic leadership building great brands, driving growth and financial goals. Eric Lent has delivered results across a range of corporate cultures at consumer products powerhouses, including The Hershey Company, Eastman Kodak, SC Johnson and Saatchi & Saatchi for brands such as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kodak, British Airways, Ivory, J&B Scotch and Glade.
Part of the leadership team that transformed Hershey into a top performing company, Eric Lent helped drive record quarterly earnings, top-line growth, the leading share position in the candy, mint and gum category in the United States, and top-tier shareholder return in the consumer packaged-goods sector.
Eric Lent currently serves as Vice President, Traditional Trade, Hershey International where he was chosen to develop strategies and business plans for the traditional trade segment of emerging markets across the globe. This new emerging market segment makes up nearly 4 billion people. As the global economy expands this large group of consumers are now joining the world economy and have increased spending power like no other time in history. This creates an enormous amount of opportunity for growth for Hershey as well as many other multi-national corporations.
Eric Lent’s key responsibilities involve providing leadership and coordination of International efforts to expand Hershey's presence in the important traditional trade channel around the world. This also includes working closely with Hershey’s focus countries to develop superior understanding of the world's 4 billion traditional trade consumers and developing distribution strategies to drive greater penetration and reach through a portfolio of products that deliver the taste, affordability and durability so important for success with these consumers.
Eric Lent previously served as vice president and general manager for Hershey Canada, a position he’s held since 2006. Eric Lent was brought on board to turn around Hershey Canada, a $500 million subsidiary of The Hershey Company. Within the two years, he has restructured the company to enhance competitiveness and execution; boosted 2007 sales by 15% over the previous year, increased operating income by more than 40% over the previous year, and improved the company’s performance in its industry segment (moving from #3 to #1 share of the chocolate market).
Eric Lent also led the development of a five-year strategic plan engineered to enable achievement of #1 share position in the confectionery business. He introduced new vision, values and core beliefs to reinvigorate morale and strengthen culture, despite the challenge of guiding Hershey through a voluntary national recall that impacted 25 brands. Eric Lent managed to minimize sales losses and re-establish business through innovative consumer and customer programs.
From 2005 to 2006, Eric Lent served as vice president for confectionary, for Hershey’s Snacks and Special Trade Channels. His responsibilities for the $1 billion business unit include managerial and financial leadership of the Ice Breakers, Twizzlers, Bubble Yum, Jolly Rancher and Breath Savers businesses. Additionally, he had full P&L accountability for Hershey’s Snacks Division: Cookies, Snack Bars, Granola Bars and Nutrition Bars, as well as Food Service, Vending, Concession, Military and Fundraising businesses.
Eric Lent’s accomplishments include achieving #1 share leadership in the Mint category, via innovative new products and marketing support behind Ice Breakers mints and gums. He also achieved the number one and two top selling items in the Refreshment segment through the launch of Ice Breaker Sours.
Prior to that, Eric Lent held the position of brand director for Hershey, Cadbury, York, Peter Paul and Portfolio Chocolates from 2004 to 2005. He managed a $1.4 billion business unit consisting of 18 brands and six direct reports. During this time, Eric Lent achieved a 52 week sales increase of 9.7% on Hershey Bars through innovation in new products, limited editions and marketing strategies which led to a share increase of 1.3 points and achieved the #3 category share position for the first time. He also restaged the Almond Joy and York Brands with new positionings, package graphics, product innovation and advertising, a move that increased sales by 17% compared to the previous year. Best of all, Eric Lent gained approval to conduct clinical research with Yale University Hospital to validate the healthful benefits of chocolate. The data was used to support new, consumer-preferred package and advertising claims across the Hershey line of dark chocolates.
Before entering the candy industry, Eric Lent spent five years in the film and digital photo industry. From 1999 to 2004, he served with Eastman Kodak’s U.S. and Canada Consumer Imaging division in Atlanta. His positions during this time include director, picture maker kiosks and mobile imaging, from 2003 to 2004; director, Kodak service and support, from 2002 to 2003;
youth marketing director from 2000 to 2003; and marketing director, one-time use cameras, from 1999 to 2001.
During his Kodak years, Eric Lent’s work helped change the face of the various segments for consumers:
Eric Lent developed a plan and gained approval for incremental resources to triple the installed retail kiosk base to 60,000 units within three years through the launch of new digital still camera printing kiosks. Projected revenue was $1.4 billion by 2006.
Eric Lent led the development of Kodak’s largest marketing campaign in over five years to drive digital printing at retail. Result: increased pictures printed +366% versus year ago to 300 million pictures.
Eric Lent developed a co-marketing partnership with Nokia to capitalize on growing phone cam sector.
Eric Lent developed “Teenspiration,” an industry youth summit geared toward developing co-marketing relationships. The annual event attracts 75 to 100 attendees representing up to 30 companies.
Reduced SKU count of one-time use cameras by 62%, generating $25 million in savings.
From 1995 to 1999, Eric Lent served with S.C. Johnson, Racine, Wis. His positions included working as brand manager for Glade Air Fresheners from 1997 to 1999, and brand manager for Drano from 1995 to 1997.
Key milestones during Eric Lent’s time with S.C. Johnson include:
Extending the Glade Candle Scents line into the growing aromatherapy segment through the development and launch of a $65MM new product initiative.
Developing and gaining approval to strategy formulated to increase Glade business by $100 million in three years.
Leading the development of Drano Foamer, a $25 million new product initiative: overall marketing plan, P&L development, positioning, and sales forecasting.
Analyzing and recommending price rollback for Drano Build-Up Remover that led to a 39% increase in dollar sales versus the previous year.
Eric Lent’s earliest career was in advertising, when he served with Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, New York, from 1993 to 1995. During this time, he worked on the accounts of such brands as Ivory Soap, J&B Scotch and British Airways.
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