Leadership
Hershey finance exec succeeds retiring CFO
Hershey announced on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, the appointment of Dave Hulays as its new Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Steven E. Voskuil, who is retiring. Hulays, 54, previously worked at Procter & Gamble and joined Hershey in 2012, bringing 30 years of financial experience. Voskuil will remain with the company until early in the second quarter of 2027 to facilitate the transition.
Williams-Sonoma to spread tariff refunds to vendors, employees
Williams-Sonoma said in its second-quarter earnings report released on Wednesday that it will share part of the benefits from approximately $200 million in tariff refunds. Of this amount, $47.5 million will be used to compensate suppliers, and $10 million will go to employee 401(k) accounts. CEO Laura Alber called this move "the right thing to do."
SolarWinds Executive Changes: CEO Succession Plan Launched, New CFO in Place
SolarWinds announced its CEO succession plan on Wednesday, with current CEO Sudhakara Ramakrishna stepping down on September 30 and Chief Product Officer Cullen Childress taking over as interim CEO. Meanwhile, CFO Tim Karaca will step down on September 1, succeeded by Samuel Monti. Karaca stated on LinkedIn that he will serve as an advisor until the end of the year.
New CFOs Are Getting Younger: Gen X Accelerates Its Takeover of Financial Leadership
The latest report from Crist Kolder Associates shows that the average age of newly appointed CFOs in 2026 has dropped to 48.2 years, a significant decline from last year's 51.9 years and the lowest since 2016. Meanwhile, the average age of new CEOs has remained stable at 53.5 years. Generation X (born 1965-1980) is accelerating its replacement of the Baby Boomers, becoming the backbone of corporate financial leadership. The CFO retirement wave has hit an eight-year high, with the proportion of first-time CFOs rising to 64%.
Black CFO representation in Fortune 500 and S&P 500 falls 25% from 2021 peak, diversity progress slows
The latest report from Crist Kolder Associates shows that as of mid-2026, the number of Black CFOs at Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies has fallen to 15, a 25% decrease from the 2021 peak. The number of Asian and Hispanic CFOs has increased slightly, but the overall proportion of non-white CFOs has declined from 14.9% in 2024 to 14.4%. The report notes that the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling and 2025 executive orders have prompted companies to scale back DEI programs, reversing diversity efforts.
Baxter Appoints John Rogers as CFO, Subject to U.S. Work Visa Approval
Baxter International announced the appointment of John Rogers as its new CFO, with an expected start date of Oct. 1, contingent on his securing a U.S. work visa. Rogers, 58, previously served as CFO at Smith+Nephew and WPP. He will succeed Anita Zielinski, who leaves Sept. 15 to join Cardinal Health. CEO Andrew Hider will act as interim CFO in the interim period.
CFO Retirements in First Half of 2026 Reach Highest Level in Eight Years, Russell Reynolds Reports
A new report from Russell Reynolds Associates reveals that CFO retirements in the first half of 2026 hit an eight-year high, with 60% of departures attributed to retirement or board moves. The share of first-time CFOs also increased to 64%, reflecting a broader candidate pool as experienced leaders exit.
Centuri appoints former Halliburton finance executive as CFO
Centuri Holdings announced Kelly Youngblood as CFO, succeeding Gregory A. Izenstark. Youngblood, formerly of Halliburton and MRC Global, will receive a base salary of $680,000 and other incentives. The company also named Danielle Hunter to a top legal role. The appointments come as Centuri reported a 19% rise in gross profit for H1 2026 but flagged fuel cost headwinds.
Deloitte Survey: Healthcare CFOs Face Decision-Readiness Gap
Deloitte's 2026 annual survey finds a significant gap between healthcare CFOs' expected involvement in key decisions and their actual readiness, particularly in consumer affordability and mergers and acquisitions, where the gap reaches up to 33 percentage points.
ZipRecruiter's Incoming CFO Launches 'Listening Tour': Focusing on Strategy and Capital Allocation
Carmen Chan, set to become ZipRecruiter's Chief Financial Officer on August 17, said she is delving into the core of the business through a 'learning journey' and staying in sync with interim CFO David Travers as she prepares to lead the finance department for the first time. She emphasized a focus on capital allocation and investor relations, leveraging her capital markets background to reshape the company's equity narrative.