 William Wrigley, Jr., great-grandson of the founder of the Wrigley company, seems to be pushing quite a few buttons with the "old guard" ensconced in the cobweb-laden inner sanctum of management and directors. Sensing a change in direction for the chewing gum and candy industry, William Wrigley has seen brands like Trident and Ice Breakers eat away at Wrigley's #1 positioning and vows to do something about it.
In the past year alone, William Wrigley has let top managers go, launched a $45 million research & development facility outside Chicago and hired the company's first chief officer of marketing. Wrigley seems to be very focused on streamlining operations, increasing awareness of trends and delivering what the consumer wants... which might be something completely different than what Wrigley has historically offered.
William Wrigley is meeting up with his fair share of resistance, but is to be applauded for a smart, savvy approach to reinventing this company from within.
It's nice to know a 110-year old company can still experience growing pains... and come out on top.
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