Donald M. Kendall
Encyclopedia
Donald Mcintosh Kendall is a former businessman, political adviser. He is a former CEO of Pepsi Cola (which merged with Herman Lay
's Frito Lay, Inc.
to become PepsiCo
in 1965) and served as CEO of PepsiCo from 1971 to 1986.
He was born in Washington State in 1921. His family owned a dairy farm.
In 1963, Kendall made the decision to change the name of Pepsi's diet soda from Patio Diet Cola to Diet Pepsi
. In the early years of diet soft drinks, Pepsi became the first major soda manufacturer to give its diet product the same name as its flagship product.
As CEO of Pepsi, Donald Kendall was a prominent member of the U.S. sugar
lobby, and took an interest in related aspects of U.S. foreign policy. In 1970 he also requested and participated in a high level meeting of Chilean businessman and publisher Augustin Edwards with high Nixon administration officials, after which President Nixon met with then-National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger
and CIA Director Richard Helms
and, in the words of a 1976 New York Times article, said "that Chile was to be saved from Allende
"and he didn't care much how."
Kendall had a stormy professional relationship with Joan Crawford
(Crawford referred to Kendall as "Fang" until her death in 1977), who gained a seat on the board of directors of Pepsi Cola Company after the death of her husband Al Steele. Crawford was active in promoting Pepsi-Cola, traveling both nationally and internationally for events such as plant openings and new product promotions.
Eventually Kendall forced her out and she resigned her position from the company's Board of Directors.
Kendall was well acquainted with Richard Nixon
and was photographed with him as Vice President and with Nikita Khrushchev
during Nixon's Moscow
trip known for the Kitchen Debate
. During the Nixon administration Pepsi Cola was always a prominent beverage at White House functions. A conversation between Kendall and Nixon in the oval office appears in the second volume of the Watergate tapes. Kendall is heard offering advice to Nixon on how to handle his difficult situation. He later told an interviewer that he was "disappointed" at the way Nixon handled Watergate. "How could you help but be?" [3]
Kendall also was familiar with George H.W. Bush.
Kendall also brought Pepsi to Russia and was awarded the Order of Friendship by Vladimir Putin
, President of Russia
, in 2004.
Kendall oversaw the creation of the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens
, a sculpture park that includes gardens, trails and parks a collection of art, primarily 20th century sculpture including works by Rodin, Wynn and Calder, at PepsiCo's office in the Westchester County, N.Y. town of Purchase
.
Herman Lay
Herman W. Lay was a Nashville, Tennessee, USA businessman who started H.W. Lay Co., Inc., now part of the Frito-Lay corporation.Lay began his career as a 24-year-old delivery driver. As a travelling salesman for the Barrett Food Company, he delivered potato chips to his customers in his Ford Model...
's Frito Lay, Inc.
Frito-Lay
Frito-Lay North America is the division of PepsiCo that manufactures, markets and sells corn chips, potato chips and other snack foods. The primary snack food brands produced under the Frito-Lay name include Fritos corn chips, Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips,...
to become PepsiCo
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
in 1965) and served as CEO of PepsiCo from 1971 to 1986.
He was born in Washington State in 1921. His family owned a dairy farm.
Pepsi Cola, Inc.
Kendall joined Pepsi Cola Company as a sales representative and rose through the sales ranks becoming a marketing vice president in 1956. Kendall headed up Pepsi's international operation in 1957 and became president in 1963.In 1963, Kendall made the decision to change the name of Pepsi's diet soda from Patio Diet Cola to Diet Pepsi
Diet Pepsi
Diet Pepsi is a no-calorie carbonated cola soft drink produced by PepsiCo, introduced in 1964 as a variant of Pepsi-Cola with no sugar. First test marketed in 1963 under the name Patio Diet Cola, it was re-branded as Diet Pepsi the following year, becoming the first diet cola to be distributed on a...
. In the early years of diet soft drinks, Pepsi became the first major soda manufacturer to give its diet product the same name as its flagship product.
PepsiCo
After having merged Pepsi Cola with Frito Lay in 1965, Kendall gained the top spot of chairman and CEO in 1971 and he retired in 1986.As CEO of Pepsi, Donald Kendall was a prominent member of the U.S. sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
lobby, and took an interest in related aspects of U.S. foreign policy. In 1970 he also requested and participated in a high level meeting of Chilean businessman and publisher Augustin Edwards with high Nixon administration officials, after which President Nixon met with then-National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
and CIA Director Richard Helms
Richard Helms
Richard McGarrah Helms was the Director of Central Intelligence from 1966 to 1973. He was the only director to have been convicted of lying to the United States Congress over Central Intelligence Agency undercover activities. In 1977, he was sentenced to the maximum fine and received a suspended...
and, in the words of a 1976 New York Times article, said "that Chile was to be saved from Allende
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende Gossens was a Chilean physician and politician who is generally considered the first democratically elected Marxist to become president of a country in Latin America....
"and he didn't care much how."
Kendall had a stormy professional relationship with Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
(Crawford referred to Kendall as "Fang" until her death in 1977), who gained a seat on the board of directors of Pepsi Cola Company after the death of her husband Al Steele. Crawford was active in promoting Pepsi-Cola, traveling both nationally and internationally for events such as plant openings and new product promotions.
Eventually Kendall forced her out and she resigned her position from the company's Board of Directors.
Kendall was well acquainted with Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
and was photographed with him as Vice President and with Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
during Nixon's Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
trip known for the Kitchen Debate
Kitchen Debate
The Kitchen Debate was a series of impromptu exchanges between then U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev at the opening of the American National Exhibition at Sokolniki Park in Moscow on July 24, 1959. For the exhibition, an entire house was built that the...
. During the Nixon administration Pepsi Cola was always a prominent beverage at White House functions. A conversation between Kendall and Nixon in the oval office appears in the second volume of the Watergate tapes. Kendall is heard offering advice to Nixon on how to handle his difficult situation. He later told an interviewer that he was "disappointed" at the way Nixon handled Watergate. "How could you help but be?" [3]
Kendall also was familiar with George H.W. Bush.
Kendall also brought Pepsi to Russia and was awarded the Order of Friendship by Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
, President of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, in 2004.
Kendall oversaw the creation of the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens
Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens
The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens is a collection of 45 pieces of outdoor sculpture at the PepsiCo world headquarters in Purchase, New York...
, a sculpture park that includes gardens, trails and parks a collection of art, primarily 20th century sculpture including works by Rodin, Wynn and Calder, at PepsiCo's office in the Westchester County, N.Y. town of Purchase
Purchase, New York
Purchase, New York is a hamlet of the town of Harrison, in Westchester County. Its ZIP code is 10577. Its name is derived from Harrison's purchase, for Harrison could have as much land as he could ride in one day...
.