Dr. Bronner’s has announced the promotion of two department heads, Christina Volgyesi and Les Szabo. The two will now hold the titles of chief marketing officer and chief strategy and impact officer, respectively. The addition of these two new positions to Dr. Bronner’s leadership structure marks the first time individuals outside the Bronner family will hold officer-level positions at the company. These two appointments follow an announcement in August that the company had promoted five department heads to vice president.
“Dr. Bronner’s has experienced tremendous growth over the last two decades, both in terms of our revenue, and philanthropic and activist budget. We are evolving our organization to better serve our customers, our regenerative organic farmers and fair trade suppliers, and our philanthropic partners and activist causes long into the future,” says David Bronner, chief executive officer of Dr. Bronner’s. “These two appointments are part of a broader effort to develop and support growth opportunities, bolster our organizational capabilities, and fuel our activist mission in the world.”
The dedication and tenure of Volgyesi and Szabo have been pivotal to the growth and impact of the company, says the brand. With their dedication, much has been achieved by Dr. Bronner’s without taking on any outside equity, and the company has remained independent and family owned.
New officer positions at Dr. Bronner’s
Volgyesi, chief marketing officer, joined Dr. Bronner’s in 2010 and established the company’s marketing department in 2011. Originally, the department’s primary mandate was focused on promoting advocacy initiatives with cause-marketing campaigns in retail stores and through grassroots events in support of legalizing industrial hemp farming, promoting GMO labeling, and raising the minimum wage. The department has since grown to a team of over 25 people and its work has evolved to now include global brand management, creative services, digital content, and new product development. Volgyesi works with Dr. Bronner’s leadership and executive team to shape global brand strategy and help ensure mission and creative alignment around the world, including launching strategic plastic reduction initiatives. In her new role, Volgyesi will seek to drive revenue growth through mission-aligned and industry-leading marketing practices while utilizing data-backed insights to inform pricing strategies and communications. She will continue to oversee marketing and customer experience as well as sales and engagement, among other departments.
Szabo, chief strategy and impact officer, joined Dr. Bronner’s in 2013. In his role as director and then vice president of constructive capital, Szabo has led philanthropy management and business development for the company, and most recently has taken the reigns of international markets. His team’s support of philanthropic giving facilitates the company’s goal of dedicating at least one-third of profit annually to charitable and activist causes as well as funding a variety of impact investing initiatives. The team also provides ongoing strategic support to key nonprofit partners and mission-aligned businesses. Under his department’s mandate to support business development, the Constructive Capital department also facilitates company-wide strategic planning, including Dr. Bronner’s annual OKR (Objective & Key Results) goal setting process. In his new role, Szabo will continue to lead strategic planning and support other key business initiatives to bolster organizational capabilities and drive growth. He will also continue to oversee Constructive Capital, International Markets, as well as the E-Commerce, and Social Action departments.
“We are proud to recognize the contributions of Christina Volgyesi and Les Szabo. Christina’s sales-driven approach to the development of our marketing department has significantly elevated our brand's retail presence and has laid the foundation for continued success,” says Michael Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s. “Similarly, Les Szabo’s results-oriented leadership on purpose-driven business development and philanthropic initiatives has been instrumental in codifying our organizational planning processes and supporting our ability to scale our growth. Their activist hearts embody the spirit of our mission, and their outstanding work exemplifies the talent and commitment across our company that fuels our success.”
