Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc. has appointed four executives to leadership roles within the bottling company. Each will be based at the company’s Birmingham headquarters.
“The tremendous success and growth that Coca-Cola United has experienced over the past several years is a direct consequence of our leadership, the unwavering support of each and every associate, and our company’s foundation of serving one another, our customers and our communities,” said John Sherman, president and CEO of Coca-Cola United. “Each of these individuals has served the United team in an extraordinary way and exemplifies the spirit and values of our company every day through their leadership. I have no doubt they will play a key role in our future success.”
Gianetta Jones has been named chief people officer, in addition to her existing role as vice president of human resources, a role she took on in 2018. Jones began her career with Coca-Cola in 2007. She is a native of Birmingham and a graduate of Auburn University. She also serves on the board of the Birmingham Education Foundation and Gov. Kay Ivey’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Board.
Eric Steadman has been named senior vice president and chief financial officer. He joined Coca-Cola United in 2002 as a controller and assistant treasurer. In 2012, he assumed the position of vice president and chief information officer. In addition to his Coca-Cola United responsibilities, Steadman is a founding member and current board chairman of Coke One North America Services Inc., the governing organization for all financial and IT services for the national system of Coca-Cola bottlers in coordination with The Coca-Cola Co.
Beeland Nielsen has been promoted to vice president, commercial capabilities and chief information officer. Nielsen is responsible for all commercial capabilities functions related to go-to-market processes, strategic route planning, market executive measurement and sales force automation. In addition, he will lead the company’s information technology and business solutions strategy and implementation. Nielsen, who joined the company in 2011, has earned Coca-Cola United’s Highest Execution Bottler recognition for the North American Coca-Cola System for five consecutive years. He is a University of the South, Sewanee graduate and has a master’s degree from Vanderbilt University. His community involvement includes serving with Southern Research and the United Way of Central Alabama.
Neil Favre has been named vice president and controller and will be moving to Birmingham from Louisiana, where he served as the company’s West Region controller since 2015. He has a bachelor’s degree from Spring Hill College in Mobile and a master’s from Tulane University in New Orleans. He received his certified public accountant license in 2011.
Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc., founded in 1902, is the second largest privately held Coca-Cola bottler in North America and the third largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the U.S. It has approximately 10,000 associates located in 60 facilities across six Southeastern states.
