Ed Ansel

Class of 2008

A native of Columbus, OH, Ed was born on April 16, 1940. After graduating from Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, he attended Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis majoring in marketing.

Ed served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a staff sergeant in the 930th Tactical Airlift Group based at Bakalar Air Force Base.

He married Barbara in May 1963, and together they raised four children; Brad, Michael, Jeffrey and Allyson.

Ed got his business start at Stokely-Van Camp, Inc., in sales positions in 1958, moving up to vice-president of sales and marketing in 1974. He joined Beatrice Foods Co. in 1977 as general manager of Tasty Foods, moving into the confectionery division in 1978 as president of Thos. D. Richardson Co., the maker of Richardson After Dinner Mints. Beatrice promoted Ed to president of Phoenix Candy in 1980.

In 1982, Ed was named General Manager of the Year of Beatrice’s Confectionery and Snack Food Division; in addition he received two Gold Medal Awards from the company for leadership and profit center management and was inducted into the Beatrice Hall of Fame.

Ed moved to New York in 1983 to work for Cella’s Confections, Inc. as president, CEO and chairman. He negotiated the company’s sale in 1985 and joined Northern Foods America in Philadelphia. After three years as group vice-president, corporate secretary then president, Ed moved on to Nestlé USA, working in the Sunmark Division as president of Sunline Brands. He became a group vice-president in 1997, responsible for the entire Sunmark Division.

While with Sunmark, Ed worked with the St. Louis Children’s museum, helping put together an interactive exhibit in which children could learn about candy. Ed also consistently lobbied Congress regarding the Sugar Act.

He served the National Confectioners Association on two occasions, working with the public relations committee in 1984 and sitting on the executive committee in 1998.

Ed left Nestlé in 1999 and relocated to Sarasota, FL, where he started Ansel and Assoc., LLC, a management consulting firm working with confectionery, snack and food companies.

He retired in 2006, and now stays busy collecting and refurbishing antique cars, golfing, sailing and working with computers.