UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

University of Virginia

People. Purpose. Performance.

New Hope, Pennsylvania, United States

Higher Ambition Leadership Alliance - aka "The Alliance" - is a not-for-profit community of CEOs and their leaders committed to doing the real work of building and sustaining high-performing organizations/cultures that deliver superior economic AND social value. Our members have proven that business can be a force for good, and they are playing a vital role in changing the world.

Higher Ambition Leadership Alliance

Board Director

Succeeded founder Daniel Lubetzky and led KIND into/through next era of expansion. Developed 3-year strategic plan to better align/focus organization and drive differential performance. Overhauled go-to-market strategy, reinvigorated demand drivers, instituted cost savings measures and integrated KIND's first-ever acquisitions (Creative Snacks and Nature's Bakery). Resulted in sales growth acceleration, profit turn around and market share gains across all business segments. Culminated in December 2020 sales to Mars. Exited after successful transition of KIND to newly formed Mars Health & Wellness (MHW) business unit.

KIND

Chief Executive Officer

President & Chief Operating Officer

Led $500MM health & wellness business unit with five brands across three lifestyle platforms (gluten free, plant-based nutrition, clean convenience). Full P&L responsibility and oversight of finance, marketing, sales, R&D, supply chain, human resources and legal. Grew net sales +11%, expanded gross margins +320bps and doubled EBITDA (from $50M to $100M). Re-energized organizational culture and re-established standing as civic and community leaders in Boulder.

Pinnacle Foods

President, Boulder Brands

Promoted to Executive Leadership Team (first and only since IPO) to oversee enterprise-wide marketing talent, shared services (insights, design, shopper) and agency/supplier partnerships. Significantly elevated marketing talent and culture via recruiting, development and recognition. Streamlined agency roster, elevated partnerships and reduced non-working costs from 40% to 12% of spending.

Chief Marketing Officer

Managed $1.4B portfolio and 40-person cross-functional team. Led radical transformation of Birds Eye from a stagnant, commodity product into the fastest-growing and third-largest major brand in frozen food by shifting strategy from meal solutions to vegetable nutrition. Increased net sales +19% and profit +28% over two years, driving 100% of Pinnacle's annual growth on both metrics. Doubled market share leadership from +10pts to +20pts, leading to General Mills divestiture of Green Giant.

SVP/GM, Meals & Sides

SVP of Marketing, Birds Eye Frozen Foods

Recruited to reinvigorate $800MM+ Ready to Serve Soup business. Promoted to run $1.3B Simple Meals portfolio before being named General Manager of Healthy Beverages, reporting to President of Campbell NA and serving on leadership team for flagship $4.5B business unit. Achieved highest total U.S. Soup growth in 10 years (sales +6%, profit +4%, share +0.4pts) and launched IRI's "Most Successful New Food Brand of 2009" (Campbell's Select Harvest).

Campbell Soup Company

VP/GM, Healthy Beverages

Led the Global Baby Care franchise, J&J/Merck consumer medicines joint venture and the Zyrtec Rx-to-OTC switch. Zyrtec was the #1 growth priority for the $14B consumer group. Generated $470M net sales, achieve cumulative year 1 profitability and secured category leadership within 90 days of launch, making Zyrtec the largest ever J&J consumer product launch, the most successful Rx-to-OTC switch in history and IRI Pacesetter's "Most Successful New Brand of 2008".

Johnson & Johnson

VP/GM, Consumer Companies

Led turnaround of flagship Excedrin franchise and progressed to head of U.S. marketing with GM responsibility for Canada.  Reported to President of Consumer Medicines and served on eight-person Executive Committee charged with leading $425M, 160-person division.

Bristol-Myers Squibb

VP/GM, Consumer Medicines

Recruited to VC-backed luxury goods e-tailer to create a brand, build a team and develop organizational competency in marketing (both pre-IPO and as a publicly-traded company).

Ashford.com

Vice President of Marketing

Progressed through brand management assignments of increasing responsibility. Drove double-digit growth on each business. After four years, designated one of five “very high potential” leaders in 70-person department and promoted to run $1B+ Tostitos tortilla chip & salsa brand.

Mike Barkley