Stuart R. Benton Of Bradford Soap Works Named Winner of Boston Business Journal's CFO of the Year RSS

Posted July 2016
Bradford Soap Works, the Rhode Island manufacturer of personal care products, is proud to announce that Stuart R. Benton, President & CEO, is the winner of the 2016 Boston Business Journal’s CFO of the Year Award in the large private company category.  Mr. Benton held the position of Chief Financial Officer at Bradford for five years before being named to his new position in May.  The award was announced on July 14 at a luncheon at the Seaport Hotel in Boston.
 
This prestigious award recognizes Chief Financial Officers who, through their strong business experiences, strategic direction and market knowledge, have made a difference in their organizations and in the profession, while managing their daily financial operations. The nomination of Mr. Benton was submitted by RSM, one of the world’s largest and most respected accounting firms.
 
RSM praised Mr. Benton’s professionalism, performance, leadership, depth of experience and expertise.  Their nomination stated that “Stu Benton is among the absolute top-tier. He combines a technical understanding of Bradford’s business with an exceptional ability to transform, manage and grow the business.” 
 
“I am thrilled to have been honored as the winner of this award.  I know I am in the company of some extremely talented and deserving colleagues,” said Mr. Benton.  He added, “Over the past five years, I have seen Bradford continue to evolve as a leader in the industry.  Our goals moving forward are to concentrate on creating products that inspire our customers and redefine the industry, to drive the company forward by building on our culture and to focus on initiatives that are strategically important.”
 
John Howland, Executive Chairman of Bradford, said, “In his role as CFO, Stu was always fully immersed in the entire span of functions at Bradford, demonstrating a great sense of more than just the financials.”  He continued, “Having this broad yet deep understanding of each of the functional aspects of Bradford made him a clear candidate for this award.  We are tremendously excited to see Stu receive the CFO of the Year Award as he embarks on his new role as President & CEO of Bradford.”
 
Mr. Benton is currently working on Bradford’s Positioning Statement.  This statement, together with the Behavioral Values that Mr. Benton is also developing, will be the cornerstone for how the company runs internally, and also how it operates in the marketplace. Under his direction, Bradford has identified several top priorities, including focusing on the company’s people, ensuring a sense of innovation, and positioning Bradford to be able to make smart strategic decisions in the marketplace regarding when and where the company does business.  
 

 
 
About Bradford
Founded on a platform of ‘Innovation through Experience’, Bradford is a trusted American resource that helps its customers build great brands.  As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of specialty personal care products, its market research department and broad customer base give it a unique real-time understanding of industry trends.  State-of-the-art development laboratories provide custom formulations, product development and testing services.  It was the first U.S. bar soap manufacturer to receive organic certification; it has certification from the Rainforest Alliance; and it is a member of the Roundtable For Sustainable Palm Oil.  Founded in 1876, the company flourishes on its core values of heritage, innovation, customer focus, passion, accountability and safety.  The company is headquartered in Rhode Island, with facilities in Indiana, California and Mexicali, Mexico.