Kendley J. Davenport, MBA
Transformational Business Strategy & Execution
C-SUITE STRATEGIST: CEO, COO, SVP, DRIVING TRANSFORMATION IN SALES, MARKETING, AND OPERATIONS
From earning recognition as a Top 50 regional CEO’s by Smart CEO magazine (a national publication) to leading a company to Forbes list of the best large employers in the country, #1 in the segment, #168 overall of 1,700 based on employee surveys. My career accomplishment is highlighted by my balance of entrepreneurial and corporate experience coupled with an extensive background for professionally managing the growth and organizational culture of fast-paced enterprises.
My name is Kendley J. Davenport and I am proven at operating seamlessly in high growth, high change environments, helping existing, successful organizations expand in new directions. I’m a people-first leader who has demonstrated in multiple environments how to create a culture of collaboration, clarity and accountability that leads to strong employee engagement that drives organizational success. Adept at formulating startup, turnaround and growth strategies to take advantage of shifts in capital investment opportunities, market competitiveness and industry growth.
My expertise lies in driving business development efforts, profit and loss oversight, and staff development/leadership to expand shareholder value and achieve organizational goals. By leveraging expertise and insight to implement forward-thinking and strategic business development solutions, I excel at connecting with key decision-makers and quickly building profitable, lasting partnerships that sustain revenue growth.
Over the course of my career, I have earned a reputation for success in conceptualizing strategic initiatives that propel the achievement of corporate goals, streamline operations, and maximize staff performance. Boasts a record of realizing consistent improvements in organizational profitability, efficiency, and performance through effective problem solving, organization, and interpersonal abilities.
C-SUITE STRATEGIST
- Team Development: Leads value-added team building focused on “collaboration, clarity and accountability” for enduring success. Built Sodexo Education Division into one cohesive group of top contributors that over delivered on sales targets. Team included 5 of 18 top performers in company.
- Business Transformation: Created winning sales culture, transforming NE territory of Sodexo from poorest revenue producing region to #1 ranking – netting some of the largest accounts in the Division’s history, while retaining the most prestigious reference accounts in the portfolio.
- Mergers and Acquisitions: Identified potential acquisitions, and led due diligence on four mergers and acquisitions, valued at $62M.
- Revenue and Profit Growth: Fueled ongoing growth through differentiated brand-building, new business development, and integrated sales and marketing plans. Tripled value of Source4Teachers and contributed $800M long-term revenue growth at Sodexo.
- Technology Innovation: Championed technology upgrades against very tight implementation targets, enabling KPI cultures with supporting and scalable operational frameworks, reducing SG&A expenses up to 5%.
- Business Turnaround: Architected a business-critical turnaround in the second most competitive market in the cruise industry, during a critical period when key client relationships and contracts were on the line. Instituted business enhancing operations, growing sales 18% and boosting profitability 21%.
- Strategy and Execution: Developed Spirit Cruises first ebusiness strategy, enabling Company to convert 20% of business traffic and reduce call center expenses substantially over long term.
VALUE PROMISE
- Competition outpacing sales strategies
- Business-enhancing operations
- Value-add team building
- Differentiating brand-building
- Priority-driven organizational change for enduring success
- Masterful execution of strategy in highly saturated markets
SUMMARY OF ACHIEVEMENTS
- Took charge of $200M education division and innovated, evolved, and structured all business growth drivers—from the strategic development of market-disruptive offerings, to the design and nation-wide launch of integrated sales and marketing plans.
- Enabled company to weather increase in competition and avoid commoditization trap. Mounted in-depth market and customer analysis, tailoring sales & marketing strategies that differentiated value over low-cost competitors.
- Architected a business-critical turnaround in the second most competitive market in the cruise industry, during a critical period for the company, with key client relationships and contracts on the line.
- Led strategy and execution of the company’s first E-business strategy, providing company with the ability to convert traffic and curtail call center expenses.
SUCCESS STORIES
RECOGNIZED LEADERSHIP
References available upon request