Peter W. Blommer

Class of 2017

Peter W. Blommer was born on October 11, 1963, in Evanston, IL, to Henry (Hank) Joseph Blommer Jr. and Helen Story Smith. Including Peter, his parents had a total of seven children during a span of 15 years — Janet Jennings, Joe, Tori Blommer-O’Malley, Mary Carreno, Steven and Katie.

Peter says his father always pushed him out of his comfort zone, whether it was running for class president or driving trucks cross- country for the family’s chocolate company when he was just 17. Peter’s attributes his creative side to his mother, who always found time to read to her children to nurture their creative interests.

Peter graduated from Woodside High School in California, and ventured across the country to attend Georgetown University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta kappa with a BA in Government and a minor in Economics in 1985.

After a brief stint on Capitol Hill and then in investment banking, Peter decided he would rather work inside a company that made real products. After receiving his MBA, he obtained his first full-time position with Dole Packaged Foods. He hadn’t intended to join Blommer Chocolate Co. but the family was in the process of consolidating ownership and he thought he might be able to help. Peter moved to Philadelphia to oversee the East Coast operations and head up the cocoa procurement and hedging activities. That move, he says, put him in the epicenter of Blommer’s growth for the past 25 years, and since 2009, Peter has served as the President and CEO.

Peter’s family has been involved in cocoa sustainability since the 1950s when his grandfather, Henry, helped found the American Cocoa Research Institute (ACRI). This organization was incorporated into the World Cocoa Foundation in 2000, which Peter helped found. During the past 17 years, he has led Blommer to develop its own farmer programs in Indonesia, Ivory Coast and Ecuador that bring together training on best farming practices and business techniques, and social and community development projects that include schools, maternity wards, health clinics and access to clean water.

His leadership in the industry includes serving as Chairman of the Western Candy Conference in 1996, PMCA President from 2003- 2005 and the Chairman of the Chocolate Manufacturers’ Association in 2007, becoming Chairman of NCA Chocolate Council from 2008- 2010. More recently, Peter served as NCA Chairman from 2015-2017. He is also a member of CocoaAction, a sustainability commitment of the nine largest global chocolate companies.

Outside of the industry, Peter served on the Georgetown University Board of Regents for six years. In July of 1989, he married Ellen in Winnetka, IL, and together they have three children, William, Madeleine and Matthew. An avid cyclist, Peter plans to train for several endurance cycling races/rides during the next few years.