Worldwide chewing gum and candy maker William. Wrigley Jr. Company, better known as Wrigley’s chewing gum, unwrapped more than a new flavor when it announced the hiring of William Pérez, 59, as its president and chief executive officer (CEO) last October. This is significant not only because a Hispanic-American was selected to lead the world’s largest chewing gum company but also because it marks the first time someone from outside the Wrigley family will run the company that bears its name.

Pérez is a native of Akron, Ohio and was raised in Colombia, South America. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Cornell University and a graduate degree from the American Graduate School of International Management. He’s the former president of international footwear maker Nike and started his career in 1970 as a sales representative for consumer products giant S.C. Johnson & Son in Cleveland, Ohio, where he helped get such products as Glade, Windex and Ziploc bags on to store shelves.

Among other things, Pérez served as general manager of operations in Iberia and was vice president and regional director of consumer products in Latin America for S.C. Johnson, before becoming chief executive of household products when he left in 2004 to join Nike, leaving the company in 2004. “This is a tremendous honor and opportunity for me,” Perez said. “Wrigley’s brands are known and loved around the world, the company’s culture embodies the values of trust, dignity and respect which are important to me, and there’s a long-term focus on growth and people development that underlies the company’s success as a global leader. I look forward to partnering with Bill Wrigley, Jr. and working with the Wrigley leadership team to sustain this company’s great track record well into the future.”