Fall 1998

Fresh breath and white teeth mean career success for Joe Doner

Joseph Doner and his family have a higher interest than most families concerning white teeth and fresh breath. This, in major part, is because Joe’s livelihood depends on the success of Procter and Gamble’s oral care category.

As director of P&G’s global oral care product supply division, the 1978 Rose-Hulman mechanical engineering graduate is responsible for the international production and distribution of Crest, Scope and Fixodent brands.

That brings daily production, sales and marketing reports across Doner’s desk from as far away as China, England and Russia. And, he has traveled to Germany, Mexico and China during the past six months — all in hopes of increasing P&G’s share of growing overseas markets. “In China, we’re teaching what flouride is to school children and distributing free samples to communities,” says Doner, estimating that Crest is now being used by 10 percent value market share among China’s toothpaste users. “It’s surprising how much of the world doesn’t use proper dental care. In America, we take for granted what flouride is and its health benefits.” Crest and Scope are the latest in a long line of popular P&G products that have tested Doner’s engineering and management skills during a 20-year career with the Cincinnati, Ohio, corporation. He has held management positions in four of the five product sections.

In 1996-97, as director of the tissue towel division, he successfully negotiated economic incentives for a new state-of-the-art plant that will produce Bounty and Charmin paper towels and tissues in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

From 1993-96, Doner was plant manager for the production of over 50 percent of Pampers and Luvs disposable diapers used in the United States. Previously, he oversaw plant operations for the North America production of Folgers Coffee (Kansas City, 1990-93), Liquid Tide and Cheer detergents (Lima, Ohio, 1988-90), and new laundry products (Albany, Ga., 1986-87).
That’s not bad for a person who didn’t know much about engineering and product development when he entered P&G’s paper plant in Cape Girardeau in 1978.

“I didn’t know if I was ready for the challenges ahead. Luckily, Rose-Hulman gave me a strong foundation to solve problems. I’ve been solving problems ever since,” admits Doner, who lives in Cincinnati with his wife Sarah and their four children.

Recently, Doner’s attention has been centered on implementing one of his own management ideas: A new 15-person technical system team that will build and streamline production and quality control capacity within P&G’s worldwide oral care operations. It brings together representatives from engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, quality assurance and process development.

“I saw a need to ensure that the manufacturing operation runs efficiently and cost-effectively, while also supporting the introduction and development of new and improved products,” Doner said. “I also recognized that I need to supplement my own technical mastery in running my operations and solving day to day problems of oral care. I needed advice from experts in every field of the operation.”

Procter & Gamble executives agreed, giving Doner $2.5 million for personnel funding, experimentation and testing. The team began operations on July 1.

In the future, Doner would like to explore a full-time international assignment that further capitalizes on his production and management experience.

— by Dale Long