“Make a Difference by Serving Others.”
David C. Kaissling is a globally experienced operations and supply chain executive whose four decades of leadership have helped transform organizations across consumer products, food manufacturing, and multinational supply chain networks. Guided by his lifelong commitment to service and continuous improvement, he has built a career defined by measurable breakthroughs in cost, quality, talent development, and operational excellence. His philosophy is grounded in the belief that people, when empowered with the right systems and aligned around common objectives, can deliver extraordinary and sustainable results. That conviction has made him one of the industry’s most trusted leaders in turnaround performance and large-scale organizational change.
David began his professional journey at Procter & Gamble, where he spent more than twenty years developing a mastery-level understanding of manufacturing, engineering, HR systems, and Lean/TPM methodologies. His early responsibility for engineering projects, plant operations, and cross-functional leadership teams gave him a unique ability to blend technical rigor with the human-side of organizational performance. At P&G, he led breakthrough manufacturing initiatives that set cost and reliability records and became foundational models for future global expansions. Those experiences shaped his hallmark ability to design, implement, and scale world-class performance systems.
His career accelerated further when he joined The Clorox Company to lead the Manufacturing Center of Expertise. There, David played a pivotal role in reshaping U.S. operations through continuous improvement culture, enterprise-standard processes, and SAP-integrated manufacturing flows. His leadership produced multimillion-dollar savings, double-digit improvements in productivity, and a strengthened organizational capability that positioned the company for sustained competitiveness. This period exemplified his talent for architecting performance systems that endure long after initial implementation.
At ConAgra Foods, David was entrusted with building and deploying a comprehensive reliability and performance improvement strategy across 42 manufacturing sites. Under his direction, the organization achieved more than $100 million in annual manufacturing efficiencies while improving quality, safety, and employee engagement. His approach was not merely tactical; it was deeply cultural. By nurturing operators and mechanics into empowered problem solvers, he helped create high-performance environments that brought out the best in people at every level.
David’s impact expanded globally when he joined SC Johnson, where he served as Vice President of Global Manufacturing, Technical Services, and eventually Global Operations. He was responsible for the full scale of global product supply—engineering, quality, safety, logistics, and manufacturing—spanning multiple continents and cultures. He designed SCJ’s first worldwide manufacturing structure, transitioning accountability from regional leaders into a unified system that improved service, reduced risk, and drove consistent global practice. His leadership delivered record performance across safety, quality, cost, and operational stability, including a critical turnaround of a failed North American logistics start-up.
Following SCJ, David accepted the challenge of leading a private-equity supply chain turnaround at Shearer’s Snacks. With a company in urgent need of performance restoration, he recruited a new leadership team, introduced a lean performance infrastructure, and engineered a cultural shift that elevated OEE from the 50s to the mid-70s. Under his guidance, customer service soared to 99.5%, and manufacturing expenses decreased by more than 15%. His turnaround success became a model example of how disciplined systems, clear accountability, and empowered talent can rapidly transform results.
David’s leadership continued at Ripple Foods, where he served as Chief Operations Officer and later Head of International Operations. Tasked with building supply chain capability for a high-growth startup, he implemented structure, metrics, and a performance culture that improved margins and reduced costs by 14% during the company’s most critical years. His ability to recruit and develop strong operational teams helped the organization accelerate its global ambitions and stabilize its foundational processes. Ripple engaged David repeatedly over several years, a testament to the trust he earns through partnership, integrity, and results.
Beyond corporate leadership, David has dedicated significant time to nonprofit service, including his tenure as Chairman of the Board for Second Chances Thrift and President of Treasure in Heaven, Inc., supporting addiction recovery and orphan care initiatives. His work reflects his profound belief that leadership is ultimately about serving others—whether in a manufacturing plant, a boardroom, or a community in need. These roles highlight his commitment to stewardship, purpose-driven leadership, and human transformation.
Today, as the founder of Kaissling Performance Solutions, David continues to support organizations seeking transformational change. His consulting work draws on forty years of deep operational expertise, global leadership, and culture-building experience. Whether advising CEOs, coaching executive teams, or guiding private equity turnarounds, he remains focused on helping organizations eliminate waste, unlock talent, and achieve record-setting performance.
Across every chapter of his career, David has combined strong operational discipline with extraordinary empathy and clarity of purpose. His influence is felt not only in the results he delivers but in the people, cultures, and capabilities he elevates along the way. His legacy continues to be defined by service—service to people, to organizations, and to meaningful outcomes that endure.
Character:
David exemplifies character through his unwavering commitment to service and his belief that people thrive when given trust and purpose. He consistently leads with humility and integrity, ensuring that organizational success never comes at the expense of people. His actions reflect a leader who prioritizes doing what is right, not simply what is expedient.
Knowledge:
His four decades of global operational leadership have given him deep expertise in Lean systems, performance improvement, and cultural transformation. He brings a unique ability to diagnose complex challenges and design practical, scalable solutions that deliver measurable outcomes. His knowledge extends beyond technical mastery to include talent development, strategic thinking, and organizational design.
Strategic:
David’s strategic approach is grounded in clarity, alignment, and systems thinking, enabling him to guide organizations through turnarounds, growth stages, and global restructuring. He anticipates long-term risks and opportunities, ensuring the actions taken today strengthen the business for years to come. His strategies are always rooted in collaboration, cross-functional alignment, and a disciplined focus on results.
Communication:
Communicating with authenticity, transparency, and purpose, creating trust with teams at all levels. His ability to translate complex operational issues into clear, actionable direction allows organizations to move forward with confidence. David’s communication style fosters accountability, engagement, and unity across diverse and multinational environments.
