Donald M. Kendall

Donald M. Kendall
Donald M. Kendall
Born	16 March 1921 (age 105); Clallam County, Washington, U.S.
Died	19 September 2020 (aged 99); Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, political consultant
Known for	CEO of Pepsi Cola and PepsiCo

Donald Mcintosh Kendall (March 16, 1921 – September 19, 2020) was a prominent American entrepreneur and political consultant. He held the position of CEO at Pepsi Cola, which combined with Herman Lay's Frito Lay, Inc. in 1965 to create PepsiCo, and he served as PepsiCo's CEO from 1971 until 1986. Kendall passed away at the age of 99.

Early life

Kendall was born in 1921 in Clallam County, Washington, where his family operated a dairy farm.

Military service

In 1942, Kendall enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a pilot of Catalina PBY seaplanes, taking part in significant Pacific theater battles during World War II. His service earned him three Air Medals along with a Distinguished Flying Cross.

Education

He attended Western Kentucky State College and was later awarded several honorary degrees. These included Doctorates of Law from Stetson University, Babson College, and Gonzaga University, as well as Doctor of Humane Letters from Mercy College, Manhattanville College, SUNY Purchase, and Long Island University.

Pepsi Cola, Inc.

Kendall’s career at Pepsi Cola began in 1947 at a bottling facility in New Rochelle. Advancing through the sales department to become marketing vice president by 1956, he took charge of Pepsi’s international division in 1957 and was appointed CEO in 1963. He introduced the rebranding of Patio Diet Cola to Diet Pepsi, establishing the innovative approach of naming diet sodas after their main brand counterparts.

Under his leadership, Pepsi expanded into Russia, for which he was honored with the Order of Friendship by President Vladimir Putin in 2004. Additionally, Kendall founded the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo’s corporate headquarters in Purchase, New York. The gardens showcase significant sculptures from renowned 20th-century artists such as Rodin, Giacometti, and Calder.

Board memberships

Kendall held board positions with multiple corporations including Enfrastructure, Inc., Buy.com, AmRest Holdings SE, National Alliance of Businessmen, and Grocery Manufacturers of America, Inc. He was also the principal investor behind American Giant, a clothing manufacturing enterprise.

Chile

In 1970, Kendall took part in a high-level discussion involving Chilean businessman Agustín Edwards Eastman and officials from the Nixon administration. Subsequently, President Nixon directed National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger and CIA Director Richard Helms to obstruct Salvador Allende’s inauguration. According to The Guardian, Kendall’s communications with Nixon and coordination with Kissinger were instrumental in facilitating CIA efforts against Allende.

Joan Crawford

Kendall maintained a complicated professional association with actress Joan Crawford, who joined Pepsi’s board following her husband Alfred Steele’s death in 1959. Crawford actively championed Pepsi at both domestic and international events. In 1973, she was compelled to retire from the board upon turning 65 years old.

Richard Nixon

Kendall shared a close relationship with Richard Nixon, being photographed alongside him during Nixon’s 1959 visit to Moscow where the Kitchen Debate occurred, also appearing with Nikita Khrushchev. During Nixon’s presidency, Pepsi was frequently featured at White House gatherings. Kendall is recorded on the Watergate tapes advising Nixon on handling the scandal and later voiced dissatisfaction with Nixon’s management of Watergate.

Death

Donald M. Kendall passed away on September 19, 2020, at his residence in Greenwich, Connecticut, at the age of 99.

Recognition

1989: Awarded the George F. Kennan Award for his impact on U.S.-Soviet relations
1987: Inducted into the National Business Hall of Fame
1986: Honored as the first recipient of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s Equal Justice Award
1979: Received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement, presented by Olivia de Havilland