Donald Kendall
International Council Member, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Experience
Donald M. Kendall is co-founder of Pepsi, Inc. and was its CEO for 21 years before his retirement in May 1986. Mr. Kendall served as Chairman of the Board's Executive Committee from 1986 to 1991. Mr. Kendall, a National Business Hall of Fame laureate, has been recognized as one of the giants of American Industry. Not only did he build one of the world's premier consumer products companies, he also used his position in business to serve his nation, to advance the cause of international understanding and to promote human equality and justice. Mr. Kendall joined Pepsi-Cola Company as a fountain syrup sales representative following distinguished service in World War II as a Naval Aviator. He advanced from sales to managing a sales crew, to managing sales for all company-operated plants. In 1951 he became assistant national sales manager, and a year later was promoted to vice president in charge of national sales. In 1956 he became vice president in charge of marketing for the United States, with responsibility for all sales, advertising and promotion. In 1957 Mr. Kendall became President of Pepsi-Cola's overseas operations, Under his leadership Pepsi-Cola's international presence expanded dramatically. The number of countries in which Pepsi-Cola was available more than doubled and sales tripled. Mr. Kendall was named President and CEO of Pepsi-Cola Company in 1963. He launched a series of marketing and management innovations that accelerated the sales of Pepsi-Cola. And he added new products, such as Diet Pepsi-Cola and Mountain Dew, to broaden both the company's product line and its consumer base. In 1965 Mr. Kendall engineered the merger that brought Pepsi-Cola Company together with Frito-Lay to create PepsiCo, Inc. Mr. Kendall was appointed President and CEO in 1971, a position he held until his retirement. Under Mr. Kendall's leadership, PepsiCo became one of the largest corporations in the United States. PepsiCo divisions also expanded their operations to new areas of the world, including the former USSR (where PepsiCo was the first foreign consumer product to be sold) and the Peoples Republic of China. Throughout his career, Mr. Kendall has been extremely active in a wide variety of key cultural, economic and political organizations, both domestically and internationally. Mr. Kendall has been widely recognized for his contributions to American business and this recognition extends beyond the business world. He was the 1989 recipient of the prestigious George F. Kennan Award for his outstanding contribution to improving U.S.-Soviet relations. Mr. Kendall's dedication also extends to the arts. He is perhaps most recognized for the outstanding collection of 20th century outdoor sculpture in the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens that surround the corporation's headquarters in Purchase, New York. The gardens feature works by major artists such as Rodin, Calder and Moore and are considered the foremost corporate sculpture gardens in the world. A native of Sequim, Washington, Mr. Kendall attended Western Kentucky State College. He is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Law Degree from Stetson University, DeLand, Florida; an Honorary Doctorate of Law Degree for Babson College, Wellesley, Massachusetts; and Doctor of Laws from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Mr. Kendall also received Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from: Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, New York; Manhattanville College, Purchase, New York; the State University of New York (SUNY), Purchase; and Long Island University, Brookville, New York.
