Originally from Finland, Aer has lived and worked in six countries while gaining decades of international management experience in multiple industries, including consumer product goods and food and beverage, where she worked with brands such as Coca-Cola and Valio, a Finnish dairy company, before transferring to its American subsidiary Finlandia Cheese as CEO. Most recently, Aer served as the president of North America for Reima, an outdoor apparel brand for children, where she was responsible for launching the European brand in the United States, Franklin Foods said.

Founded in 1899, Franklin Foods is currently the third-largest cream cheese producer in the United States. Its two production sites in Vermont and Arizona not only distribute popular brands such as Hahn’s and Green Mountain Farms, but also serve as private brand manufacturers for foodservice and retail customers, the company said.

Franklin Foods has been part of the privately owned Hochland Group of Germany since 2017.