Katherine Phegley

Class of 2026

For Katherine Phegley, a 25-year career in confectionery has been defined by strategic leadership, sales excellence and an ability to build meaningful relationships. By listening, understanding the needs of others and finding solutions, she has earned the trust of customers, brokers, vendors, competitors and colleagues throughout the industry.

Born August 25, 1961, in Beech Grove, Indiana, Katherine grew up with her sister, Stephanie, and brother, Butch. Raised by her mother, Mary Katherine Wheeler, a single parent who worked long hours, Katherine learned early the importance of self-reliance and family. She also found a second family with her best friend, Patti, whose family included her in everything from trips to Mackinac Island and Florida to visits to the Kellogg’s factory, helping shape Katherine’s belief that it takes a village.

Her father, Robert Wheeler, a talented athlete and devoted Cincinnati Reds fan, introduced Katherine to sports. Through basketball, track, and soccer, she developed a competitive spirit and learned lessons in teamwork and leadership.

Determined to become the first in her immediate family to earn a college degree, Katherine attended Purdue University, where she played club soccer and held leadership roles in student organizations. She graduated in 1983 with a degree in Computer Technology.

After college, Katherine moved to Chicago, where she met her future husband, Darrell, on the first day of her first job at Inland Steel. They married in 1985 and raised three children, Nicole, Julie, and Kyle.

Katherine’s path to confectionery began in 1997, when former colleague John Kernan recruited her to Kraft Confections/Callard & Bowser. An interview at a candy show in Florida launched a career in an industry she would repeatedly find herself drawn back to.

She went on to hold leadership roles with Kraft, Cadbury Adams, Barton’s Candy, WD-40, and Kraft Heinz before joining Brown & Haley in 2018 as National Sales Director. Today, she serves as Vice President of Strategy & Sales and is a member of the company’s board.

One of Katherine’s defining career challenges came when Kraft hired her for a third time to rebuild its U.S. chocolate business. Within 30 days, she had established a broker sales network and sales force while coordinating warehousing, shipping, and sales administration. Within 60 days, products had arrived from Europe, been repacked, and shipped to customers. The business grew by more than $20 million during its first selling season.

Her career has included launches such as Altoids Cinnamon, Trident White Gum, Stride Gum, and ROCA Bites, but Katherine considers hiring good people, mentoring talent, and making meaningful connections among her most important accomplishments. In 2021, she received the NCA’s Silver Candy Dish Award in recognition of her contributions to the industry.

Mentoring has been an important part of Katherine’s career. At Cadbury, she helped develop employees who went on to become brand managers, directors, and senior leaders. Among those she has mentored is Sara Raschillo of Ferrero, whom she first met years earlier when Sara played travel soccer with Katherine’s daughter.

Katherine believes health and family come before work, a perspective that helped guide her while raising three children, whom she considers her greatest accomplishment. Today, she explores national parks with her daughters and attends Cubs games with her son.

Outside of work, Katherine enjoys golf, pickleball, swimming, and time with her neighborhood women’s group. She is also a longtime Disney enthusiast.

Katherine credits much of her success to being open to experiences and opportunities. Her career has spanned technology, sales, finance, and data analysis, reinforcing her belief that careers do not have to follow a vertical path — every new skill and experience can open another door.

Ultimately, Katherine hopes her legacy will be measured as much by the people she has supported as by the brands and businesses she has helped grow. She wants to be remembered as someone who listened, made herself available, and was always willing to help.