Tony Vernon joined Kraft Foods in August 2009 as Executive Vice President and President, Kraft Foods North America.  In this role, he leads the company’s $24 billion business in the United States and Canada, based in Northfield, Illinois.

In August 2011, the company announced its decision to create two independent companies – a high-margin North American Grocery business and a high-growth Global Snacks business – prior to the end of 2012. Tony will lead the North American Grocery business as CEO following the spin-off.

Tony came to Kraft Foods from private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings, where he served since 2006 as the healthcare industry partner. In that role, he led the evaluation and investments in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

Prior to Ripplewood Holdings, Tony led a number of Johnson & Johnson's largest franchises during a 23-year career.  He served as Company Group Chairman of DePuy Orthopedics (2004-2005), President of Centocor (2001-2004), and President of McNeil Consumer Products and Nutritionals, Worldwide and President of The Johnson & Johnson-Merck Joint Venture (1995-2001).

Tony led many of J&J's largest consumer brands, including Tylenol, Motrin, Pepcid AC, Imodium and Splenda.  In addition, he led the strategic evaluation, licensing and launch of Concerta and helped turn Remicade into a market leader in biologics; both of these prescription drugs are now billion dollar franchises for J&J.  He also served as member of Johnson & Johnson's Group Operating Committees for Consumer Healthcare and Nutritionals, Biopharmaceuticals and Medical Devices and Diagnostics.

Tony earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Lawrence University and an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management.  Since 2006, he has served as an independent director of several consumer, biotechnology and medical device companies, including Medivation, Uluru, NovoCure, Cord Blood Registry, Disc Dynamics and Zeo Inc.