Jeffrey Dunn
President and CEO, Bolthouse Farms

Keynote: Mixing the Economic Downturn with Sustainability: Inhibitor or Catalyst?

As the saying goes, tough economic times require tough decisions. And many organization leaders view sustainability as a campaign that can be delayed or scaled back to meet financial needs. Mr. Dunn argues that this "environment vs. economy" dichotomy is false and presents new leadership and strategic frameworks supporting an integral approach to the central challenge or our time. Mr. Dunn will discuss how he is using the current economic crisis to accelerate strategic thinking and action in order to drive sustainability across Bolthouse Farms in all areas of the business. Bolthouse Farms has embarked on a company-wide commitment to driving higher levels of performance through focusing on sustainable solutions. The presentation explores the practical issues associated with driving this mindset and approach throughout an organization.

About the Speaker

Jeffrey Dunn has led companies large and small to growth through brand innovation. A consumer strategist at heart and a evangelist for values-based leadership, Jeff has delivered consistently strong business results, while significantly strengthening the array of consumer brands under his care.

Jeff is currently President and CEO of Bolthouse Farms, a California based, fourth generation Company focused on providing consumers great tasting and healthy food and beverage products.

With over 90 years of farming experience and a legacy of innovation, Bolthouse Farms expanded from its roots as North America's leading processor and marketer of fresh carrots to launch a premium juice and salad dressing business over the past four years. Currently Bolthouse Farms is the largest premium juice brand in North America having shown strong growth in both Canada and the U.S. over that period.

Prior to joining Bolthouse Farms, Jeff was President and CEO of Ubiquity Brands, a rollup of several regional snack food businesses. Key achievements during his tenure include the overall restructuring of the business and the re-launch of the company's brand portfolio, resulting in the successful sale of Lincoln Snacks to ConAgra and the sale of Jay's to Snyder's of Hanover at the end of 2007.

Jeff also spent twenty-two years in various roles within The Coca-Cola Company, most recently serving as President of Coca-Cola North America. In that role, he was responsible for business results and long-term operating strategy for the North American region, the largest of the company's five strategic business units, which generated approximately 30 percent of the company's worldwide volume and profit. Jeff also led the company's Latin American operations from 2001 thru 2003. Under his leadership, Coca-Cola North America reached its all time total beverage market share thru launching a dynamic portfolio of new brand innovations including Simply Orange, Dasani, Coke Zero and Sprite Zero, Vanilla Coke, and Fridge Pack.

Passionate about issues of sustainability and social consciousness, Jeff led transformation in some of Coca Cola's most important social programs such as healthy beverage guidelines in schools, global water strategy, PET recycling, and the creation of small business empowerment programs in Argentina and Brazil. He co-developed a new global sustainability report card which increased transparency into business practices at Coca-Cola.

Jeff earned a bachelor's degree in Business from the University of Georgia and an MBA in Management from Pepperdine University. He serves as a member of the Goizueta Business School Advisory Board at Emory University, and on the Board of Trustees of Morehouse College. A key advisor to Deepak Chopra's Alliance for a New Humanity, Jeff has partnered with The Alliance to develop innovative new programs. In March of 2008; he co-led with Deepak Chopra a CEO Forum in cooperation with the Alliance Human Forum in Costa Rica, focused on advancing individual leaders' capacity to create positive change in their organizations.