After a career spanning more than 40 years and including 34 years with the Coca-Cola system, Duane Still will retire from his position as SVP and CFO for Coke Florida on July 1.
“Serving as the CFO of Coke Florida and as a member of the executive leadership team these past few years has truly been a highlight of my career,” Still said. “I’m honored and extremely proud to have played a role in Coke Florida’s story and its recent extraordinary success, and I’m thrilled with the team and capabilities that we’ve built to ensure that Coke Florida continues that success in the future.”
Still joined Coke Florida as CFO in May 2019 after retiring from CSM Bakery Solutions. Before joining CSM Bakery Solutions, he spent more than 30 years with the Coca-Cola system, including multiple North America and international operating unit CFO roles, culminating with the CFO role of the North America Group, a $21 billion operating unit of The Coca-Cola Co. He began his professional career after graduating from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, working with Deloitte where he became a certified public accountant.
“While we are wishing Duane the best in his retirement, we thank him for the significant contributions he has made to our recent and future success while at Coke Florida,” said Troy Taylor, Coke Florida’s chairman and CEO. “He has built a talented team here at Coke Florida, and we will continue to benefit from his leadership with the team that is in place. Duane’s leadership is one of the reasons Coke Florida was recently named a U.S. Best Managed Company. I also want to recognize the great contributions Duane has made across the Coca-Cola system as he has truly made the system better.”
With Still’s retirement, the company has named Paul Pheffer, currently VP of finance and controller, as the incoming SVP and CFO.
Joining the company in 2017 as controller, Pheffer served as interim CFO in early 2019 during a period of transition. He joined the beverage company from CNH Industrial, where he held positions of increasing responsibility culminating with his last position as controller for the North American parts and service business. Prior to joining CNH, he also worked at GE Healthcare, Protiviti and Snap-on Tools after beginning his career at Arthur Andersen.
Pheffer is a certified public accountant and a certified internal auditor, and he graduated with a degree in accounting and corporate finance from Ball State University.
“Since starting my Coke Florida journey in 2017, I have been privileged to serve in a variety of roles that have allowed me to develop and grow,” Pheffer said. “Being able to learn from an industry veteran such as Duane has been invaluable. Duane was just honored as a Tampa Bay CFO Honoree of the Year – that is indicative of the caliber of experience and expertise that I have been able to learn from.
“I am honored to be named the next CFO of Coke Florida and to have the opportunity to lead the outstanding Coke Florida finance team. I look forward to playing a part in continuing Coke Florida’s success story, leading the outstanding finance team that we have in place, and to building on the capabilities we have developed since Coke Florida’s inception.”
With Pheffer moving to the CFO role, the company has named Diane Coppola, controller.
“Diane is uniquely qualified to take on our controller role and was identified as a successor in 2021,” Still said.
Coppola joined Coke Florida in 2018 as senior manager, internal controls and was promoted to assistant controller in 2021. Prior to joining, she developed her financial career in various public accounting practices, including Clark, Schafer Hackett and Co., PWC and EY. Coppola is a certified public accountant and is a graduate of Rutgers University.
For more information, visit cocacolaflorida.com.
