As Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo Foods North America, Steven Williams is in great demand.
Williams is busy giving back to the community and sharing his words of wisdom with other business leaders when he’s not making decisions for PepsiCo Foods, which has a regional headquarters in Dallas.
Williams serves as Board Chair for United Way in Dallas, serves on the executive advisory board for the Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business, and serves on the president’s advisory board for the University of Texas. He’s also on State Farm’s board of directors.
As the CEO, Williams oversees all aspects of PepsiCo’s nearly $21 billion snack and convenience foods business in North America, including Frito-Lay North America and Quaker Foods North America. Those brands include Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Tostitos, Ruffles, Fritos, Stacy’s Pita Chips, SunChips, and Quaker Oats.
Williams, a 24-year veteran of PepsiCo, is responsible for more than 70,000 associates in more than 500 U.S. and Canadian locations. He has served as CEO since March 2019.
“Steven has been a remarkable gift that keeps on giving to PepsiCo shareholders,” former Dallas Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Richard Fisher, who was on the company’s board of directors when Williams was hired as CEO, told D Magazine. “He runs the most vital part of the enterprise. Without Frito-Lay, you wouldn’t have the kind of stock performance PepsiCo has had. The stock is performing at all-time highs at a time when the rest of the market is being creamed. Without Steven, that would not be possible.”
This year, Williams has been tapped for his expertise in hiring, developing, and retaining workers. He was the keynote speaker in January at NRF 2023: Retail’s Big Show.
“This [upskilling] is an important topic,” Williams said, according to an article on the National Retail Federation’s website. “We’re so interested in it because we are a truly end-to-end, seed-to-stem business. Most of our workforce is either making, moving or selling the merchandise.”
“Of our 70,000 or so employees in North America, about 60,000 are in a truck or in a factory or putting our products on a shelf. So, this is a very, very important subject for us.”
How can companies make work interesting and fulfilling?
“We’ve taken a really comprehensive look to how we upskill talent,” Williams told the group. “How do you help provide the opportunity … to gain knowledge and, frankly, better yourself?” PepsiCo North America offers employees free education, from vocational/technical training to community colleges and four-year universities.
Before becoming CEO, Williams was senior vice president and chief commercial officer for Frito-Lay’s U.S. organization, where he set strategy and oversaw all commercial activities for the field sales and customer organization.
Previously, Williams served as senior vice president and general manager for Frito-Lay’s East division, where he was responsible for the overall business and performance management of the six geographic regions in the eastern part of the country.
Williams managed the company’s global Walmart business, working with Walmart U.S., Sam’s Club, and Walmart International Divisions. In this role, he built strong strategic partnerships and delivered significant retail sales and share growth in Walmart.
The executive joined PepsiCo in 2001 as part of PepsiCo’s acquisition of the Quaker Oats Company, which he joined in 1997.
Williams told the National Retail Federation group that the last few years have been difficult. His philosophy of giving is one indication of his concerns.
“I worry about fatigue,” Williams said in 2022. “[But] people have gotten a lot closer. I’m optimistic about things both individuals and companies are doing to make the world a better place.”
