About Universal Corporation
Universal Corporation is a global business-to-business agriproducts company with over 100 years of experience supplying premium ingredients and innovative solutions to meet our customers’ diverse needs and precise specifications.
With operations in over 30 countries on five continents, we are uniquely positioned to leverage our worldwide network to access a diverse, reliable supply of plant-based materials.
This presence, combined with our supply chain expertise, integrated processing capabilities, and commitment to sustainability, enables us to deliver high-quality, customizable, and traceable value-added agriproducts essential to our customers’ success.
Our Performance
For fiscal year 2025, Universal Corporation reported:
billion
Consolidated
Revenues
million
Operating
Income
million
Segment Operating
Income
million
Net
Income
Executive Leadership
Preston D. Wigner
Chairman, President &
Chief Executive Officer
Preston D. Wigner
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Preston D. Wigner has been Universal’s Chief Executive Officer and President since October 2024. Previously, Mr. Wigner served as Senior Vice President of Universal Corporation and Executive Vice President of Universal Leaf Tobacco Company (“Universal Leaf”) from April to October 2024.
Prior to these roles, Mr. Wigner served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Universal Corporation and Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Universal Leaf from November 2005 until April 2024. Mr. Wigner has served as Chairman of the Board of Universal since his election in 2024 and serves as Chairman of the Universal Leaf Executive Committee and a member of the Universal Global Ventures, Inc. Board.
Airton L. Hentschke
Senior Vice President &
Chief Operating Officer
Airton L. Hentschke
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Airton L. Hentschke, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has more than 24 years of experience in leaf operations with Universal. Mr. Hentschke previously served as Executive Vice President of Universal Leaf Tobacco Company, Inc., since 2013, and Regional Director for the Company’s operations in South America, and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Leaf Tabacos Limitada in Brazil, since 1991.
Johan C. Kroner
Senior Vice President &
Chief Financial Officer
Johan C. Kroner
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Johan C. Kroner was elected Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer on September 1, 2018. He served as Senior Vice President from February 6, 2018. He also serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Universal Leaf. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President of Universal Leaf from September 2014 to September 2018, and Vice President from October 2011 to September 2014. Mr. Kroner has been with the Company since July 1993.
J. Patrick O'Keefe
Vice President,
Universal Ingredients
J. Patrick O'Keefe
Vice President, Universal Ingredients
J. Patrick O’Keefe, Vice President, Ingredients of Universal Corporation and Senior Vice President of Universal Global Ventures, Inc. (“UGVI”), joined Universal in April 2020. Mr. O’Keefe has spent his entire 30+ year career in the food ingredient industry. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer for Allen Flavors from 2018 to 2020, Chief Executive Officer of the Americas for Döhler Group from 2015 to 2018, and President of Finlay Tea Solutions US, Inc. and then Chief Executive Officer of Finlay Extracts & Ingredients, both subsidiaries of James Finlay International, from 2007 to 2015. Earlier in his career, Mr. O’Keefe also held commercial roles of increasing responsibility at Sensient Flavors, Inc., Givaudan Flavors and International Flavors & Fragrances. Mr. O’Keefe is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of UGVI.
Catherine H. Claiborne
Vice President,
General Counsel & Secretary
Catherine H. Claiborne
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Catherine H. Claiborne has served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Universal Corporation and Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Universal Leaf Tobacco Company, Inc. (“Universal Leaf”) since April 1, 2024. Ms.Claiborne was a long-standing member of the Universal Leaf Legal Department starting in 1999 and served as Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Secretary from 2005 to 2018. Ms. Claiborne left the Legal Department in February 2018 to serve in a management role as Vice President and Assistant Secretary of Universal Corporation and Senior Vice President, Administration and Secretary of Universal Leaf. Ms. Claiborne is a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Universal Leaf and Universal Global Ventures, Inc.