SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Food Marketing Institute has honored Hershey Co. by giving two of its industry veterans the FMI William H. Albers Award, celebrating excellence in trading partner relations and consumer and community service.

J.P. Bilbrey

The Hershey executives, J.P. Bilbrey, chairman, president and chief executive officer, and Tom Joyce, retired vice president of global customer and industry affairs, received the Albers award at FMI’s Midwinter Executive Conference.

Representing one of the company’s leading customers, Kroger executive vice president of retail operations Fred Morganthall paid tribute to their collaborative approach to business, saying in a testimonial: “Gentlemen, as individuals you have each made significant contributions to our industry; but together, you formed a standard-setting team for retailer-supplier relations.”

FMI president and CEO Leslie Sarasin said, “In food retail circles, the name the Hershey Co. has become synonymous with trusted partner; the dependable quality of its products being matched by the reliable caliber of its leadership and its steadfast nurture of the retailer relationship.”

Tom Joyce

She continued, “Each in his own unique way and collectively, J.P. and Tom have made sure the Hershey commitment to community support and trading partner excellence isn’t something just described with words but instead is a tangible reality experienced each day.”

Along with serving as chairman of the board of Hershey, Bilbrey is a member of the Colgate-Palmolive Co. board and the Kansas State University Business School Advisory Council. Bilbrey recently served his tenure as chairman of the Grocery Manufacturers Association executive board.

Joyce, a 40-year veteran of the company, served as vice president of customer and industry affairs since October 2004. In addition to his tenure at Hershey, Joyce played an integral role at FMI, offering his strategic insights on the FMI Industry Collaboration Council, FMI convention planning committees and the FMI Wholesaler Supplier Advisory Council.

Hershey is a global confectionery company. Based in Hershey, Pa., it has revenues of more than $7.1 billion. Hershey offers confectionery products under more than 80 brand names.