Pet product company Hartz names new CEO

Eric Strauss//January 3, 2017//

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The Hartz Mountain Corp., a leading maker of pet products based in Secaucus, has named a new CEO and president, it announced Monday.Tatsuya Suto succeeds Gumpei Futagami, who will become the company’s executive chairman, and continue as vice CEO of Unicharm Corp., Hartz’s majority owner.

He had been Hartz’s executive vice president from 2004 to 2006, and served on the company’s board from 2004 through 2016.

“I am very pleased to return to Hartz as CEO and president,” he said in a prepared statement. “As the premier name in pet retailing, I am excited to help the company achieve new growth in this constantly expanding market for innovative pet products and care, and I look forward to Mr. Futagami’s continued guidance as Hartz grows its business.”

Most recently, Suto had been CEO and president at Summit Pharmaceuticals International, an affiliate of Sumitomo Corp., the former majority owner of Hartz Mountain.