The board of directors of Barry Callebaut AG, a manufacturer of cocoa and chocolate products, has appointed Charles D. (Chuck) Haak to the position of president & chief operating officer of its American subsidiary, Brach's Confections Inc., effective March 8, 2005. Chuck Haak will be the successor to Terence (Terry) O'Brien, who has decided to leave the company.

Chuck Haak's history with Brach's goes back to 1980, when he started out as an industrial engineer intern with the then E.J. Brach's & Sons. From 1984 to 1991, he worked for Kellogg as assistant plant manager (1984-1989) and as manager plant scheduling (1989-1991). In 1991, Chuck Haak joined Brach's Confections again to hold various senior-level positions in operations and business planning. In 2003, he was promoted to senior vice president operations with direct P&L responsibility and 1,200 employees.