Meet our co-founder, Gary and our CE-Yo, Walt

Gary Hirshberg is the husband of freelance writer Meg Hirshberg and the father of three yogurt eaters. He is our co-founder and chairman, author of Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World, and co-author of Label It Now: What You Need to Know About Genetically Engineered Foods. Gary is a frequent speaker on topics including sustainability, climate change, the profitability of green business and organic agriculture. He also advocates for change in national food and agriculture policies, including those regarding the labeling of genetically engineered foods.

During Gary's 28-year tenure as Stonyfield's president and "CE-Yo," the company grew from a seven-cow organic farming school to $360 million in annual sales, by consistently producing great-tasting products and using innovative marketing techniques that blended the company's social, environmental and financial missions.

In 2001, Stonyfield entered into a partnership with Groupe Danone, and in 2005, Gary was named managing director of Stonyfield Europe, a joint venture between the two firms with brands in Canada, Ireland and France. In early 2012, Gary handed off his president and CE-Yo roles to mission-driven business leader Walt Freese.

Before Stonyfield, Gary directed the Rural Education Center, the small organic farming school from which Stonyfield was spawned. Before that, Gary had served as executive director of The New Alchemy Institute, a research and education center dedicated to organic farming, aquaculture and renewable energy.

Gary serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards including those of Applegate Farms, Honest Tea, Peak Organic Brewing, The Full Yield, Climate Counts, SweetGreen, RAMp Sports, Stonyfield Europe, Glenisk and the Danone Communities Fund.

In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Gary to the Advisory Committee for Trade and Policy Negotiations, and Gary became a co-chair of AGree—a food and agricultural policy effort launched by eight of the world's leading foundations.

Walt Freese became our "CE-Yo" in early 2012. Walt and his wife Stephanie have one daughter, who enjoyed a lot of ice cream while growing up, because Walt was global CEO at Ben & Jerry's for seven years and its chief marketing officer for three years before that.

During Walt's ten years with Ben & Jerry's, the company more than doubled sales and tripled earnings. Under his leadership, Ben & Jerry's expanded into more than 25 new global markets, while taking bold, progressive stances on controversial issues regarding the environment, social and economic justice and increased transparency in the labeling of food products.

Before joining Ben & Jerry's, Walt served as president and chief marketing officer at Celestial Seasonings in Boulder, Colorado. Walt was a key member of a management team that increased Celestial Seasonings revenue, over a three-year period, by 57%. Walt has also held senior management positions with Kraft/General Foods, Nestle Foods, Casual Corner Group and Spectra/Market Metrics.

Walt has served on several corporate and nonprofit boards including those of Ben & Jerry's, Tonic, Common Cause and the Flynn Theatre of Burlington, VT.