Editor's note:This article is the second of a two-part series focusing on the transformation of Hain Celestial under the leadership of consumer goods veteran Mark Schiller.The first reportdiscussed how the organic and natural products manufacturer—once a patchwork of brands that nearly got delisted—cut loss-making products, prioritized innovation, and improved credibility with retailers.

For years, Pinnacle Foods would gather hundreds of employees responsible for selling its Wish Bone, Mrs. Butterworth's and other products at annual sales meetings, and the excitement of the meetings always centered around a few speakers.

The most popular was not the CEO, nor the musicians or comedians hired to liven up the atmosphere, but a low-key executive who captivated the audience with a combination of marketing talent, product creativity, and "professional-grade stand-up comedy" performances.

This sought-after figure was none other than the company's Chief Operating Officer, Mark Schiller. Then-CEO Bob Gamgort recalled that Schiller's speeches were "sharp, timely, and memorable," inspiring the sales team in an "engaging and memorable way" and clarifying the company's brand priorities. Schiller would humorously poke fun at himself, tease members of the executive team, and sometimes insert other employees into newsworthy celebrity photos during his presentations.

"He could get people to listen to marketing and business content by making them laugh, and it was a fantastic way to do it," said Gamgort, who is now CEO of beverage giant Keurig Dr Pepper. "People would say, 'When is Mark speaking? Will he come back next year?' He was unique in that regard. Very few serious business people have that side."

The right person?

The rare combination of humor, a love of pop culture, and business acumen paved the way for Schiller's successful career, culminating in his appointment as CEO of Hain Celestial three years ago. Hain Celestial is a leading manufacturer of organic and natural foods.

"Interestingly, I never thought about being a CEO," Schiller said in an interview, speaking softly and introspectively. "I'm a good operator; I just like running a business. I knew that being a CEO requires different skills."

The CEO's responsibilities go far beyond day-to-day operations. They must spend time with shareholders, maintain close ties with the board, talk with analysts, pay close attention to employee interests, and navigate daily fluctuations to position the company for growth and future success.

Schiller admitted that his career had been smooth so far, and he didn't want to "let the last chapter of my career be a failure, so yes, I was nervous about taking the job at Hain." After leaving Pinnacle in November 2017, he had planned to take some time off, but then consulted about a dozen people, including former CEOs, peers, coaches, and friends.

"Interestingly, I never thought about being a CEO. I'm a good operator; I just like running a business. I knew that being a CEO requires different skills."

Mark Schiller, CEO of Hain Celestial

But the opportunity of a new challenge ultimately won out. Schiller said he likes "getting into places that make me uncomfortable" and "derives great satisfaction from conquering things I'm afraid of." As CEO, he was able to leverage his strengths as a turnaround operator accumulated over his career while expanding into previously untapped areas.

People who have worked with Schiller describe him as smart, ambitious, and unafraid to take on jobs that have stumped others. He excels at repositioning struggling products and innovating to better meet the needs of modern consumers.

A daunting task

Schiller faced a daunting task when he joined Hain Celestial in November 2018.

After years of strong growth, sales and profit margins at the maker of Celestial tea, Greek Gods yogurt, and Terra chips began to decline. The New York-based company, assembled through a series of acquisitions over 25 years, had about 60 disparate brands, more than a third of which were losing money.

Its leadership in the health and wellness space was threatened as other consumer goods companies rushed into the category, eager to capitalize on growing demand for healthier products. Hain had also just emerged from its own financial troubles, including a year without reporting profits, an SEC investigation into its accounting practices, and its stock nearly being delisted.

a69035de71012dab0ae7748c39ac403e3046dc7605b5b8556fb9ccf0c0e74880.jpg Visiting Machu Picchu in Peru (Photo courtesy of Mark Schiller)

Today, under Schiller's leadership, Hain is thriving, with significantly improved profit margins and a notable rise in gross profit during his tenure. More consumers are buying the company's products than two years ago, and repeat purchase rates for its "bigger brands"—those with the most mainstream potential—have surged. Investors have taken notice, pushing the company's stock from about $21 when Schiller took over in November 2018 to nearly $40 today.

Glenn Welling, founder of Engaged Capital, praised Schiller's work in growing brands and improving margins and sales. Welling's firm is Hain's largest shareholder, holding a 15% stake. He noted that since Schiller took over, Hain has been one of the best-performing stocks in the food industry.

"As a director and investor, we are very pleased with Mark's leadership and performance," said Welling, who serves on Hain's board. "He took over a business where brands were no longer growing and profitability was declining, and today we have brands that are number one or two in 20 categories."

Gamgort, who served as a reference for Schiller's work at Hain, said the former executive's consumer goods experience and natural ability to make bold decisions with "courage and speed" made him an excellent fit to turn Hain around.

"A lot of people would go into that role and fail. Most people would fail," Gamgort said. "He's one of the very few who could go into that role and succeed."

From foosball to Pinnacle

After graduating from Columbia Business School in 1985, Schiller spent 11 years at Quaker, holding various positions.

Phil Marineau gave Schiller his first management position at Quaker in 1987, following Schiller's marketing experience. At the time, the oatmeal giant encouraged executives to gain experience in other parts of the company to increase their value.

"It was difficult to get people to try it," said Marineau, who has held executive roles at Levi Strauss, PepsiCo, and Dean Foods. However, Schiller "had the courage and guts to try it and move into operations and manufacturing. I think it reflected his ambition, his desire to one day run a business and have skills that would make him better at it."

After leaving Quaker, Schiller became president of the world's largest manufacturer of coin-operated pool tables, electronic darts, air hockey, and foosball tables, and later served as co-president of a children's daycare franchise. In 2002, he joined PepsiCo, beginning an eight-year tenure that included responsibilities for Frito-Lay convenience foods and overseeing Quaker, which had been acquired by the snack and beverage giant a few years earlier.

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But in 2010, when Pinnacle's Gamgort extended an olive branch, Schiller's career rose rapidly.

Despite owning iconic brands like Duncan Hines cake mixes and Vlasic pickles, many of Pinnacle's products were seen as outdated and in need of revitalization. Its sales totaled about $1.5 billion, and Blackstone, which had recently invested about $700 million, was seeking improvement.

Gamgort, brought in by Blackstone to improve Pinnacle's performance, made Schiller his first major hire. He was keen to recruit Schiller because of his big-company experience, marketing and innovation background, and willingness to roll up his sleeves and dive into messy, high-stakes situations.

Schiller was promoted multiple times at Pinnacle, eventually rising to Chief Commercial Officer. Gamgort said Schiller's keen understanding of consumers and trends was key to turning around Pinnacle's brands. He recalled the period when Schiller was responsible for Duncan Hines and how he was able to spot product problems and design solutions.

Schiller observed that the brand primarily targeted groups of 8 to 10 people, while the average American household had fewer than 3 people, meaning people either wasted food or ate leftovers they felt guilty about. He was instrumental in pushing Pinnacle to launch single-serve products.

"What I saw that was different about him was that he would be motivated by this small company, these brands that weren't so pretty and needed to be revitalized in an unproven environment," Gamgort said. "He would dive in and want to get his hands dirty, rather than being scared off like others. That's why he did so well there and at Hain Celestial—because it was a mess he had to take over, to put it mildly."

Seven Wonders of the World

A large part of Schiller's success in the office comes from his personality and interests outside of it.

The father of five enjoys hiking, skydiving, and traveling. He has seen all Seven Wonders of the World, including the Great Wall of China, which he visited just before the pandemic. "There's a magical world out there, and I want to see it," he said.

Although he doesn't play an instrument, Schiller is passionate about music and has attended about 5,000 concerts. He has seen The Who perform in someone's backyard, caught an impromptu Grateful Dead concert in Amsterdam, and sat next to Christie Brinkley and Kris Kristofferson at a Billy Joel show. He was even invited to have a drink with Bono after a U2 concert—but couldn't go because his son, who was with him at the event, was underage.

9cb78756d967057eff9cce11c994b34bd30c0d86939de552ebf687aa2f3f5d0f.jpg Mark Schiller at the Great Wall of China (Photo courtesy of Mark Schiller)

Schiller's travels as CEO often take him to new cities, where he enjoys discovering new bands and telling friends about them before they become famous—similar to how he spots untapped potential in new products or the health and wellness space at Hain before competitors do.

Gamgort said Schiller is particularly attuned to pop culture, movies, and TV shows. When the two traveled together during their time at Pinnacle, discussions would often drift away from work, reminiscing about shows they watched growing up, exchanging movie lines, or talking about real-life drama with celebrities. He said Schiller has a knack for spotting the most obscure celebrities, like forgotten contestants on reality shows.

"A lot of people would go into that role and fail; most people would fail. (Mark) is one of the very few who could go into that role and succeed."

Bob Gamgort, CEO of Keurig Dr Pepper

Although working at a food company and interests outside the office may seem like separate realms, Gamgort said they overlap considerably and can benefit corporate executives. "It's all part of the same thing: figuring out where consumers are heading, what the trends are, and how we ensure we keep up with those trends," he said. "The best marketers are curious about everything, not just business."

Schiller, who turns 60 in October, said running Hain is likely his last CEO role. He doesn't plan to leave the business world entirely but intends to continue serving on corporate boards, acting as an advisor, and mentoring young executives.

"I don't plan to work until I'm 70. So I love what I'm doing right now. I'm having a great time, and we're having good success," he said. "I'll be around for a while longer, but this is likely my last act."