Dawn Foods names North America president to drive growth across core regions

Land O' Lakes veteran John Schmitz to oversee all commercial and operational responsibilities; focus on strategic planning

John Schmitz, Dawn Foods

Global bakery manufacturer and ingredients supplier Dawn Foods has announced the hire of John Schmitz, the company's newly appointed president of North America. Schmitz will join the company Jan. 6, 2020 as a member of Dawn's leadership team and report directly to chief executive officer Carrie Jones-Barber.

With more than 25 years of leadership experience and a track record of building high-performing teams, Schmitz will play a crucial role in ensuring the company's people, products and investments deliver long-term growth and advance Dawn's forward-looking strategy.

"As we approach our 100th anniversary, our people continue to remain at the forefront of our success," said Jones-Barber. "John—a proven leader known for organizing his teams around a shared vision—will be an instrumental addition to our executive team. His energy and passion for problem solving, combined with his commitment to customer success, will be critical to unlocking the fresh, innovative thinking required to deliver our vision of Inspiring Bakery Success Every Day."

To support Dawn's continued growth across its five North America regions, Schmitz will prioritize the way Dawn interacts with, engages and meets its customers' evolving needs. In particular, Schmitz will work hand-in-hand with Dawn's digital innovation team in Boston to ensure the company provides the right end-to-end experience to support its customers' business demands and long-term growth.

"Dawn Foods has a tremendous legacy and an even brighter future ahead," said Schmitz. "We have the right ingredients in place to continue to innovate and lay a strong foundation for the company's next 100 years. I am eager to roll up my sleeves, dig in with the rest of the Dawn team, and evolve our business model to ensure we are best positioned to serve our customers and the industry for years to come."

Schmitz joins Dawn after more than 12 years at Land O'Lakes, where he served as vice president for international. During his tenure, Schmitz helped establish the company as a global enterprise with business operations in Canada, Mexico, South Africa and Kenya. Throughout his career, Schmitz has worked across myriad industries, including consumer packaged goods, global agribusiness, foodservice and industrial products.

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