Fredric Arthur Hayes

Fredric Arthur Hayes 87, passed away peacefully at his home Wednesday, October 11, 2023, surrounded by family and loved ones.

Fred was a talented businessman and a true leader best known for founding the M&M Mars plant in Cleveland, Tennessee where he served as Vice President and Plant Manager, and for his active role in the Cleveland, Tennessee Community. Under his leadership, the new Cleveland plant opened in 1978 and went on to develop and launched many new Mars products. The Cleveland plant remains highly successful for both the Cleveland Community and the Mars Company to this day.

Fred was born in Dubuque Iowa on September 26, 1936 to Ivanelle and Edmund Hayes. He attended Dubuque Senior High School where he met and later married his first wife of twenty-eight years, Barbara Bull. Together they had four children, Stephen, Douglas, Kristin and Duffy.

Fred graduated college from The University of Dubuque with a degree in business. He was a lifelong athlete, competitor and team leader. In college, he played on the track team, baseball team, basketball team and was the captain of the football team. His love of competitive athletics continued throughout his lifetime including softball, tennis, and golf. He was also an avid outdoorsman with a passion for hunting and fishing.

After college, Fred accepted a position with Wrigley Chewing Gum Company moving to Rockford, Illinois. In 1963, he was offered and accepted a position with M&M Mars Company at the Chicago, Illinois plant and moved his family to Palatine, Illinois. In 1973, he was promoted to Vice President and Plant Manager of the Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania M&M Mars plant and moved his family to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1976, he was selected by Mars to start a new M&M Mars plant in Cleveland, Tennessee where he served as the Vice President and Plant Manager until his retirement in 2001.

In 1991, Fred married Cynthia Allen. They remained together until his passing. Together they enjoyed travel, golf and tennis. They developed a love of equestrian dressage shows and dressage horses. They purchased and trained a show horse they named ‘Remi’ and enjoyed showing their horse who went on to win many awards. During this time, Fred continued his Cleveland, Tennessee community service including acting as the President of the Cleveland Country Club. He also volunteered his time and executive management skills for others including acting as the Board President for the Calypso Towers and Resort in Panama City Beach Florida for fifteen years.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents Edmund and Ivanell Hayes, his sister Sharry Kapparos (George), and his first wife Barbara. He is survived by his wife Cynthia, his children Stephen (Bridget), Douglas, Kristin, Duffy (Linda), seven grandchildren, Lauren, Michael (Ashleigh), Chris, Jacqueline, Sebastian, Holsten, Hadley, and one great grandchild Cooper.