“Operational Excellence. Regulatory Integrity. Leadership that Delivers.”

Robert Proudfoot is a distinguished executive leader with over 18 years of expertise driving performance, compliance, and operational success across FDA-regulated industries. With a focused career in food and beverage manufacturing, Robert has consistently delivered exceptional outcomes by blending regulatory precision with real-world leadership and continuous improvement strategies. His career reflects a deep commitment to building strong teams, improving systems, and ensuring top-tier quality in highly complex, safety-sensitive environments.

Robert currently serves as Director of Quality at The Doug Jeffords Company, where he leads enterprise-wide food safety and quality assurance initiatives. In this role, he develops and implements comprehensive training programs, authors SOPs, and champions a culture of excellence across departments. Under his leadership, the company continues to excel in audits and regulatory inspections, bolstered by a robust food defense and supplier management program.

Previously, Robert held leadership roles at First Honey, where he wore multiple hats as both Acting Production Manager and Quality Assurance & Regulatory Affairs Manager. He successfully oversaw the installation, qualification, and validation of new production lines, managed scheduling, and continuously improved operations while maintaining FDA and international compliance standards across five industry verticals: food, dietary supplements, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.

Robert’s leadership also contributed to transformative results at Mrs. Grissom’s Salads, where he led the company to its initial SQF certification and maintained re-certification through his consultancy and direct QA leadership roles. His deep knowledge of HACCP, FSMA, sanitation programs, and Lean manufacturing has empowered companies to strengthen internal systems, streamline workflows, and reduce operational costs—most notably a Six Sigma project saving $200K.

Over his career, Robert has demonstrated the ability to establish compliant and scalable quality systems that meet stringent regulatory frameworks including FDA 21 CFR Parts 117, 111, 211, and 820, and ISO 9001, 13485, and 22000. He has authored numerous quality manuals and food safety protocols while mentoring teams across production, sanitation, quality control, and logistics. His impact is evident in both technical excellence and his ability to drive organizational change through effective leadership and process discipline.

Robert’s educational background includes an MBA from Eastern University, a Master’s in Quality Assurance from California State University-Dominguez Hills, and a BS in Organizational Leadership & Nutrition from Middle Tennessee State University. His pursuit of continuous learning is demonstrated by a long list of credentials: PMP, Six Sigma Black Belt & Master Black Belt, ASQ CMQ/OE, CQE, CQA, and CFS, along with multiple ISO Lead Auditor certifications.

Recognized as a “go-to” leader in regulatory readiness and operational troubleshooting, Robert thrives under pressure and is known for delivering measurable improvements. Whether optimizing sanitation systems, leading audits, implementing food defense plans, or driving product development, he brings a rare combination of hands-on knowledge, technical acumen, and strategic oversight.

Beyond compliance and manufacturing, Robert has earned the trust of leadership teams for his ability to guide change, build training systems from the ground up, and serve as a subject matter expert on complex industry standards. He is also a regular contributor to cross-functional leadership teams, aligning quality strategy with business objectives to ensure sustainable growth and risk management.

Robert is now actively seeking board and advisory roles where his seasoned insight into regulatory environments, quality systems, operational leadership, and risk mitigation can help guide organizations to the next level. His ability to operate at the intersection of compliance, efficiency, and people development makes him uniquely qualified to serve companies in the FDA-regulated space—particularly those in food, beverage, and dietary supplements.

Character:

Robert is a principled, mission-driven leader known for his integrity, reliability, and dedication to achieving excellence in every role. His ability to inspire trust across departments is matched by a humble, collaborative leadership style.

Knowledge:

With deep expertise in FDA regulations, ISO standards, Lean/Six Sigma, and food safety, Robert is a powerhouse of knowledge. His certifications and accomplishments reflect a lifelong commitment to learning and mastery of his craft.

Strategic:

Robert thinks beyond the checklist—he builds scalable systems that align quality goals with business strategy. He understands how to balance regulatory obligations with operational demands, enabling both compliance and profitability.

Communication:

A gifted trainer and communicator, Robert simplifies the complex and translates standards into action. Whether leading audits, presenting to executives, or training production teams, his communication is always clear, impactful, and inclusive.