Dawn Foods has announced two key leadership appointments within its North America Operations team. Melissa Bautista has been promoted to senior vice president of operations in North America and Jen Taggart has been promoted to vice president of North America manufacturing. The two will focus on continuous improvement to support company’s long-term growth strategy.

“These leadership announcements reflect Dawn’s commitment to the growth and development of our Team Members and highlight the significant contributions Melissa and Jen have made across our organization,” says John Schmitz, president of North America, Dawn Foods.

Bautista has demonstrated exceptional leadership since joining Dawn in 2022. Her contributions have been instrumental in elevating the operations team and driving critical strategic projects in support of the company’s growth. In her new role, Bautista will oversee Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Environmental, Health, Safety, and Security (EHS&S), Engineering, and Food Safety & Quality Assurance.

Taggart most recently served as plant director at Dawn’s Louisville, Kentucky manufacturing facility, where she played a key role in advancing continuous improvement and innovation. She will oversee Dawn’s North America plant directors, with her leadership being key to the company’s ongoing focus on process enhancements and technology integration across its manufacturing network.