Meet the Whitley's Sales Team
At Whitley’s Peanut Factory, our family owned roots and our team of dedicated sales professionals come together to offer you the finest Virginia peanuts, gourmet mixes, nuts, and confections, delivered with exceptional service you can count on.
Todd Smith
Peanuts are part of Todd’s DNA and a family tradition. A native of Southampton County, Virginia, Todd grew up working at his father’s peanut shelling business. While attending Virginia Tech, his brother and father founded Whitley’s Peanut Factory, where Todd would join as the manager of the Williamsburg store after graduating in 1989. More than four-decades later, Todd’s passion for producing the highest-quality Virginia peanuts, confections, and candies has not waivered and he remains the driving force behind the company’s success. Todd and his wife, Kristen, have two children, Brett and Bridgette, and in his spare time he enjoys fishing, golf, Virginia Tech athletics, and spending time with his family.
Brett Smith
Brett is a third generation Smith to be part of the family business. Like his father, he is a graduate of Virginia Tech where earned his degree in Agribusiness Management with minors in Entrepreneurship and Communications. Upon graduating, Brett worked in Research and Development and Quality Assurance with a Virginia-based specialty beverage company before joining his father in 2021. Today, Brett manages the development of new products and market strategies, as well as a serving as a key asset to the marketing and sales teams. Brett enjoys saltwater fishing, golfing, and spending time with his wife, Miranda, visiting craft breweries and distilleries.
Susanne DeVore
A native of Philadelphia, Susanne earned her degree in Rhetoric and Communications from Temple University. Prior to joining Whitley’s in 2017, she enjoyed a successful career with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, both as a retail buyer, and in product licensing. At Whitley’s, Susanne is responsible for inside sales support of our wholesale customers, managing our corporate custom labeling program, and supporting the needs of other departments without hesitation! In her free time, Susanne enjoys seeking out new adventures such as hiking with her dog, Dawkins, and traveling with her family.
Chris Pierson
When Chris stared in 2023 in National Sales, he brought a wealth of sales experience in the food industry to the Whitley’s team. Chris is responsible for servicing and supporting our business-to business relationships, as well as identifying new wholesale opportunities. He takes great pride in his “hands-on” approach with his customers, ensuring they receive the excellent service they’ve come to expected from Whitley’s. When not working, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife, Amy, and his son, Archer, on the water, traveling, and playing sports.
Will Hayden
Will joined Whitley’s in late April and has brought his outgoing personality and background in recruitment to the Sales and Customer Relations team. A graduate of Christopher Newport University with a degree in Fine Arts concentrating in photography and minoring in Art History and Leadership he worked as a campus tour guide while attending school and post-graduation in admissions before continuing in the field at ECI University. Drawn to Whitley’s for a fresh professional experience, he was eager to find a workplace with a close knit, family-style culture where his opinion would matter. Originally born in Virginia, he grew up in Colorado before relocating to Northern Virginia, where his parents, sister, and two beloved dogs, Izzy and Ollie, still live. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, photography, hiking with friends, listening to audiobooks, and a good game of cornhole.
Jackie Boughton
Jackie joined the Whitley’s team in 2018 after having spent more than a decade working for the Department of Environmental Protection -Florida Park Service. Longing to return home to Virginia, Jackie started her career at Whitley’s in the Customer Care department and now as an Accounts & Customer Support Specialist. In this role, Jackie is responsible for the order entry, invoicing, and scheduling transport for our wholesale customer orders. In her free time, Jackie enjoys cooking, attending concerts, trips to the beach, and spending time with family.
