Petmate Hires Paul Tonnesen as CEO
Petmate — manufacturer of pet products for brands like Chuckit!, Pet Qwerks, Healthy Chews, Gamma2, JW, and, La-Z-Boy — has named a new chief executive officer. Paul Tonnesen will lead the company while current CEO Alice Tillet transitions to a consulting role.
Tonnese brings more than 30 years of experience in leadership roles for global consumer products companies. He joins Petsmart from Oregon Tool, a well-known manufacturer of saw chains and agriculture products. Previously, he was also the group global president at Fiskars and SVP for Elmer’s Products.
Tonnesen will be helping to grow consumer and partner relationships to support the brand’s portfolio of pet products and brands.
The pet category is poised for significant growth. According to Allied Market Research, the global pet toys market is projected to reach $18.4 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 8% from 2023 to 2032. This is attributed to an increasing trend of humanizing pets.
As a result, CPG companies like Mars have heavily invested in the petcare segment. Over the last year, the company has been bolstering leadership in the category, naming Najoh Tita-Reid as chief brand and experience officer and Christoph Heyn as chief digital officer.
Also, General Mills recently acquired pet supplement brand Fera.
