Soleil Carrion Gets to the Heart of the Matter

Soleil Carrion, vice president of finance and shared services at Milton Hershey School, found a career worth every minute

Soleil Carrion, VP of Finance and Shared Services, Milton Hershey School

BY ZACH BALIVA, HISPANIC EXECUTIVE

We inherit many things from our families. Traits like blood group, skin tone, and hair color. Habits and preferences, such as fashion sense, musical taste, and hobbies. Soleil Carrion almost inherited something else from her family—a career.

Carrion grew up in Puerto Rico as the youngest of four siblings. Like many in her extended family, her siblings pursued healthcare careers. “Going to medical school is basically a rite of passage in my family,” Carrion says.

Carrion felt proud as she watched her loved ones improve health outcomes and save lives. But the young Latina knew that although her heart wanted to help others, her career would take her down a different path. “I loved helping people but knew medicine wasn’t the right fit,” she explains. Carrion resolved to accomplish a similar career outcome—to care for others—but to do it her own way.

After a period of self-reflection, Carrion identified her strengths. Armed with her insights, she decided to study business and accounting. But first, she had to break the news to her parents.

Carrion can still hear their protests. Business people are technical, cold, and materialistic, they told her. What good could she possibly do as a certified public accountant?

“We are transforming lives with the belief that income should not determine outcomes at both MHS and CHS.”

Soleil Carrion

With determination and a strong work ethic, Carrion set out to study in Puerto Rico and subsequently in Madrid. Her finance career began as an audit associate at one of the Big Four public accounting firms. Four years there gave her a strong technical foundation in financial and advisory services. Those years also proved her parents right.

Life at the big accounting firm was hectic and stressful. As Carrion successfully navigated the demands of the job, she felt a strange mix of gratitude and exhaustion. The firm prepared her for a long career, enhanced her skills, and pressure-tested her leadership abilities. It positioned her to succeed in whatever she wanted to do. At the same time, it made her realize she needed to leave what felt like an impersonal world of advising at a Big Four firm if she wanted to be part of building something new.

Soleil Carrion, Milton Hershey School

Photo courtesy of Milton Hershey School

Fast-forward a decade, and Carrion is a seasoned finance executive whose career has crossed industries and taken her to companies of all sizes. Best of all, she has found her home and true calling as vice president of finance and shared services at Milton Hershey School (MHS).

Milton Hershey School is perhaps one of the nation’s best-kept secrets in private education. Founded by the famous chocolatier for whom the school is named, Milton Hershey School houses and educates students from pre-K through 12th grade who come from disadvantaged families looking for greater opportunities. All students receive free housing, tuition, meals, supplies, medical care, counseling, clothing, and tutoring. MHS has impacted more than eleven thousand graduates since its founding more than a century ago.

Carrion was working in internal audit at The Hershey Company when she found out about the residential private school. Now Carrion, the youngest and first Hispanic female officer of the school, manages its assets, including overseeing—as beneficiary of the school’s interests—a trust worth over $20 billion. She ensures that every MHS student has the resources they need, with all costs covered, to achieve their career and life goals.

Milton Hershey School exists to “nurture and educate children in social and financial need to lead fulfilling and productive lives.” Carrion helps Milton Hershey School fulfill that mission by overseeing financial planning, budgeting, reporting, analysis, payroll, quality assurance, procurement, and more. Her team also provides shared services to the new Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS).

Milton and his wife Catherine Hershey loved children but could not have any of their own. At a time before women had the right to vote, they decided—together—to create a home and school for orphaned boys. Now, the school serves an equal number of boys and girls from across the country.

“I get to be the steward of these funds, which I take as a huge honor and responsibility.”

Soleil Carrion

Ten years after signing the Deed of Trust establishing the school, and a few years after Catherine’s death, Milton, having no heirs, dedicated his fortune to funding the school. The rest of the world didn’t find out until The New York Times ran a front-page story about the decision in 1923.

The Hersheys wanted their fortune to fund the school in perpetuity—a desire that drives Carrion today. “I get to be the steward of these funds, which I take as a huge honor and responsibility,” she says. “My goal is to lay a strong foundation, so that when I leave our school is ready for the next person to continue and improve upon the great work our team has done.”

Strong chocolate sales and solid financial performance have Milton Hershey School and its affiliated organizations in growth mode. Leaders are busy preparing for the second location of CHS to open. The nonresidential subsidiary of MHS, CHS provides care and education to qualifying families with children aged six weeks to five years. “We are transforming lives with the belief that income should not determine outcomes at both MHS and CHS,” Carrion says.

Carrion is shattering stereotypes and proving that accountants and financiers can have personality and compassion.

What’s her secret? The Milton Hershey School mission. Carrion says it’s Milton Hershey’s selfless act that inspires her and her team to serve others with excellence and without seeking recognition.

Although educators pour knowledge into students at Milton Hershey School, the learning goes both ways. Carrion says that she’s learned from students she’s mentored, including a Puerto Rican graduate who now turns to her for career advice. “The students are here learning from us, and we are learning from them,” she explains.

Carrion sees herself as a different woman and professional thanks to her experience at Milton Hershey School and says the care and compassion she’s seen has changed her outlook on many facets of her life, including leadership, mentorship, and motherhood. She’s even breaking barriers for her autistic daughter and the community with the launch of the G&G Foundation, named in honor of her two children. The foundation supports autism acceptance and family access to resources.

And what about the rest of the Carrion family? The doctors have finally come around. “They’re incredibly proud of me and the transformational work we do at Milton Hershey School,” she says. “And they all eat way more chocolate than they used to because of it.”

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