Kevin Keffer

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DISC Type : cd

Operations Manager at Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.

Normal, Illinois, United States

Overview

Kevin is a data-driven manufacturing leader with over 17 years of experience in process improvement and multisite operations. A graduate of Purdue University with an MBA, he has managed teams of over 450 and revenues exceeding $340M. Colleagues describe him as strategic, methodical, and an inspiring coach.

Outside of work, Kevin values making time for fun and embracing his "inner child, " as shown in a post about sledding. He is also a soccer fan, demonstrating support for the professional club Deportivo Toluca F. C. , and is passionate about helping others succeed.

He is inspired by the Mohammed Ali quote: "Its not the size of the mountains ahead to climb that wears you out; its the pebble in your shoe. "

Personality Overview

Judgemental

Demanding

ROI Conscious

They can be nudged to make faster decisions by offering what they value.  They focus on objectivity in a pitch and pay little attention to bells and whistles. They respond well to confident salespeople.

Topics They Care About

Continuous Improvement
An expert in Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen, and 5S, he has a proven track record of boosting production efficiency by 46% and capturing multi-million dollar cost savings.
Manufacturing Leadership
He has led teams of over 450 people across multiple facilities and is described by former colleagues as an exceptional leader, coach, and mentor who boosts team morale.
Rebuilding Company Culture
During his time as Director of Processing at Trulieve, a key highlight of his role was successfully rebuilding the company culture across two manufacturing facilities.

Media Appearances

Kevin has no verified media appearances

Work History

7-2025
Operations Manager at Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
2-2024 - 5-2025
Value Stream Manager ✴️ Boosted Production Efficiency 46% and Employee Engagement 6% at Nature's Bakery
8-2020 - 3-2023
Senior Process Engineer - Ops Manager ✴️ Hand-Selected to Launch New Site ✴️ Saved Over $400,000 at Amazon
9-2019 - 1-2020
Director of Processing ✴️ Led 2 Manufacturing Facilities ✴️ Rebuilt Company Culture at Trulieve
3-2016 - 9-2019
Manufacturing Plant Manager ✴️ Reduced Waste 66% ✴️ Zero Safety Recordables at Oil-Dri Corporation of America

Education

Bachelor of Science - BS from Purdue University
Master of Business Administration - MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 17 Location : Normal, Illinois, United States Job Level : Middle Designation : Operations Manager at Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
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Insights For Selling To Kevin

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Highlight the competitive differentiation of your product
  • Make sure that they have the necessary authority, they could present false stature sometimes
  • Stress on the business value that your product offers

DONT's

  • Avoid repeating yourself or making generalizations
  • Refrain from asking too many questions
  • Don’t try to be an alpha salesperson, give them equal space

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Kevin is

  • Conviction in the product matters to them, followed by proof points and strong testimonials.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Kevin

  • They may not be very forthcoming, but they will say no if needed.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Kevin move?

  • Their decision making speed is somewhere in the middle.
  • Can Kevin take some risk or not?

  • They can take risks but after weighing up the pros and cons.

You And Kevin

Personality Compatibility


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