On June 9, 1956 (3-weeks after the death of my grandfather, H.B. Reese, the inventor of REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups) the Lebanon Daily News published an article about the company he founded, the H.B. Reese Candy Company.

According to the article:

"Make a product that young and old alike can eat and enjoy and you have 165 million potential customers. That axiom of the candy business was formulated by the late Harry B. Reese, founder of the H.B. Reese Candy Co., Inc."

Unfortunately for me, I was only 8-months old when H.B. Reese died, my father Charles Richard Reese was the youngest of his 16-children. However, from a very young age, I was always told the following favorite H.B. Reese quote:

"Make a product that young and old alike can eat and enjoy and your potential customers are limited only by the number of people on earth."

So I've decided to make my grandfather's vision a reality with your help of course (through global crowdsourcing) to make REESE'S the #1 global candy brand.

Why?

Because I can and because I want to.

The H.B. Reese Candy Company merged in a tax-free stock-for-stock merger with the Hershey Chocolate Corporation in July 1963.

View the actual Reese - Hershey merger agreement.

In my new series I will be blogging about those individuals who are in my personal opinion "heroes" and those who perhaps may "need improvement" during my journey with your help of course (through global crowdsourcing) to make REESE'S the #1 global candy brand.

Heroes

Confidential letter from the Chairman of the Hershey Trust Company

2-heroes that investors should personally thank for increasing the value of The Hershey Company are Leroy Zimmerman and Jim Nevels (fortunately, I was able to thank Jim Nevels in person while wearing a REESE'S jacket at the Devon Seafood Grill).

Heck they fired the entire Hershey Board of Directors (save for one).

Since firing that entire board, Hershey shareholder wealth has increased billions upon billions through both shareholder price appreciation and annual dividend increases.

The Hershey Company Director of Corporate Communications, Jeff Beckman, is a hero because he has proven to me that he values integrity and especially, "accurate facts."

Since I'm labeled nationally as Brad Reese, PR's Worst Nightmare, I cherish PR professionals like Jeff Beckman.

I think this new blog series will be both surprising as well as entertaining and I hope you will enjoy the "journey" as much as I do.
 

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