Mars Pet Nutrition Appoints Christina Ruggiero as Regional President; Scenthound Announces Three C-Suite Hires

Mars Pet Nutrition has named Christina Ruggiero, MSc, as the new regional president of its North American operations. Ruggiero will oversee a range of brands including Pedigree, Iams, Sheba, Cesar, Greenies, Temptations, and Nutro in the United States and Canada. She previously held the position of president of the global nutrition category at The Coca-Cola Company, managing a $9 billion portfolio. Ruggiero's career has also included leadership roles in operations and finance, and she served in the US Navy as a cryptologist. In a company statement, she expressed her enthusiasm for joining Mars Pet Nutrition, highlighting the company's commitment to science and the importance of pets in people's lives.

Scenthound has made significant executive appointments, including Summer Nunn as chief commercial officer. Nunn's responsibilities will focus on commercial strategy, including pricing, membership packaging, partnerships, and marketing initiatives. She previously held the chief marketing officer role at NearU Services and has experience with Driven Brands and Magnolia Wash Holdings. Nunn stated her excitement about contributing to Scenthound’s mission of delivering dog wellness services nationwide.

Additionally, Michael Chin, MBA, has been appointed as chief development officer. Chin will oversee franchise development and market expansion, joining Scenthound from GoDog. He has held leadership roles at Level 5 Capital Partners and CorePower Yoga, and his new role will focus on scaling Scenthound’s development infrastructure across new markets.

Jake Singleton, MAcc, joins as chief financial officer, overseeing financial strategy and planning. Singleton has over 20 years of experience in finance, most recently serving as CFO at The Joint Chiropractic, where he played a crucial role in scaling the brand from 262 to 967 locations. He will support Scenthound's national expansion efforts.

CEO Tim Vogel emphasized the importance of these leadership additions for scaling Scenthound effectively while enhancing customer experience. With plans for over 450 franchised and corporate-owned locations in 32 states, the new appointments are seen as critical for the company’s growth.