8/25/22

It was a long and rich career for Alfredo Rivera at Coca-Cola. In his 38 years, he went from working in independent Coke bottling plants in Honduras and El Salvador to president of the North America operating unit.  As president of Latin America business unit, he scored a win of the Woodruff Cup in 2015, a measure of outstanding performance within the company. His long and varied career spanning the entire western hemisphere put him in a great position to head the North America operating unit. But on December 31st, he will be stepping down, only to remain as a senior advisor through March 2023.

Taking his place is Jennifer Mann, currently the corporate senior vice president and president of Global Ventures.

Mann does not have the depth of years that Rivera has, in fact, she would have only been 11 years old when the elder statesman started his first position with the company. But what they do have in common is the work-your-way-up success that proves the existence of the American Dream.

She started off as a manager in national customer support in 1997 and worked her way up to president of Global Ventures by 2019. In between, Mann was chief people officer of the company and vice president and general manager of Coca-Cola Freestyle.

Chairman and CEO, James Quincey had this to say about her appointment: “Jennifer has emerged as a strong business leader during her 25-year career with the company. Her background in operations across the United States and globally makes her a great fit to lead the company’s largest operating unit.”

It isn’t known with whom they will replace Mann, but the company has certainly given her enough time to train her understudy, if one has been selected. Similarly, Rivera hanging on through March of next year should provide Mann with plenty of support and wisdom.