It's not uncommon for a corporate employee at Ben & Jerry's to have began their career as a scooper and then move onto a corporate position, many staying for decades. But going from a tour guide to CEO? That's something else.
Ben & Jerry's named Dave Stever as its new CEO on May 8. The 34-year veteran has seen it all in his career. The lifelong Vermonter started as a tour guide in 1988 at the company's Waterbury factory, which is the state's No. 1 tour attraction. Stever swiftly established himself in marketing and management and over the past 12 years served as chief marketing Ooficer. Throughout his career, Stever witnessed scrappy fights with rival Haagen Dazs in the early days who was then the industry leader, smash flavor sensations like Chubby Hubby, Phishfood and the No. 1 fan favorite in the U.S., Half Baked. Stever was well established as a leader in management when the company became part of Unilever over 20 years ago.
One of his strengths has been working cross functionally to create impactful partnerships with the likes of Dave Matthews Band, Stephen Colbert, Willie Nelson, Sir Elton John, Jimmy Fallon, Colin Kaepernick, Netflix, Chance the Rapper, Tony's Chocolonely and Ava DuVernay. While leading the company to remain as part of the cultural zeitgeist, Stever never lost focus on the critical differentiator for Ben & Jerry's: its mission.
"The board is very pleased with the selection of Dave as Ben & Jerry's next CEO, and not just because of his passion for our euphoric super-premium ice cream. Dave's long history at Ben & Jerry's along with his recognition of the integral role that the company's values and Social Mission play in our growth and our commitment to advancing justice and equity in the world, make him the best choice to write the next chapter in Ben & Jerry's remarkable story," said Anuradha Mittal, chair of the Ben & Jerry's board of directors.
It marks the first time since cofounder Ben Cohen stepped down as CEO in 1994 that a staff member has been promoted from within to the CEO position. Stever assumes the top role from Matthew McCarthy, who recently retired from Ben & Jerry's after five years at the helm.
"Ben and I have known Dave for over three decades and we are absolutely thrilled that he will be leading Ben & Jerry's into the next chapter of our company's history," said Co-founder Jerry Greenfield.
"Dave started out 30 years ago as a tour guide. And now he's CEO. He knows Ben & Jerry's inside and out. He lives it and breathes it. We are psyched to have someone with Dave's talent, passion and demonstrated ability as our CEO," added Co-founder Ben Cohen.
About Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's is an aspiring social justice company that believes in a greater calling than simply making and selling the world's best ice cream. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream and Non-Dairy/vegan desserts using high-quality ingredients and lots of big chunks and swirls. As a Certified B Corp, Ben & Jerry's incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices via values-led sourcing initiatives when purchasing ingredients. Ben & Jerry's is distributed in over 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchised Scoop Shops, and via on-demand delivery services. Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, a fair financial return, and addressing issues of social, racial, and environmental injustice around the globe. The Ben & Jerry's Foundation, guided by Ben & Jerry's employees, granted $4.35MM in 2022 to support progressive, justice-focused grassroots organizing around the country.
