Kevin Keffer in

Kevin Keffer

Inquirer · DISC type cd
Operations Manager at Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
📍 Normal, Illinois, United States

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. "

Read the full overview →
Experience
17 Years
Current Role
Operations Manager
Job Level
Middle
Location
Normal, Illinois, United States
Personality Overview

How Kevin shows up

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.

Priorities

Topics Kevin cares 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.
+5 more topics Login to view topics
Career

Work history

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

Media appearances

No media yetWe could not find public media appearances for this person.
Education
Bachelor of Science - BS
Purdue University
Master of Business Administration - MBA
Indiana Wesleyan University
Social presence
in
Behavioral profile

DISC profile (public)

c

Calculativeness (C)

Calculativeness (C) reflects the degree to which a person is likely to be cautious, systematic and analytical. Those scoring high tend to emphasise quality and accuracy.

Other Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. Employees

Explore more public profiles from related professionals.

Sara Guindi
Sara Guindi
Senior Manager, External Communications
Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
 Paul Panza
Paul Panza
EVP, Chief Commercial Officer
Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
 Priya Jani
Priya Jani
Director, CPG Category Marketing, Dumplings
Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
EI
Eugene Imm
Senior Vice President - Head of Strategic Branding and Marketing
Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.

More profiles

Discover additional public profiles from our index.

Marcus Koons
Marcus Koons
Team Manager II
Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
 Liz Wise
Liz Wise
Chief Marketing Officer
Autism Awareness Australia
RS
Ryan Smith, CMRP
Sr. Utilities and Reliability Manager
Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
 James Garduah, BSc., MBA
James Garduah, BSc., MBA
Operations Manager
Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.
Unlock the full playbookSee exactly how to sell to Kevin. Free, 10 seconds.