James Dunworth

About James Dunworth

I’m a People & Culture executive who sees organizations as living systems—complex, interconnected, and full of potential when leaders create clarity and empower people to do their best work. My career has taken me across retail, manufacturing, logistics, and corporate environments, giving me a rare end‑to‑end view of how strategy becomes execution on the ground.I’m at my best when helping leaders cut through noise, align around what truly matters, and turn big ideas into practical plans that deliver results. Whether modernizing legacy operations, strengthening culture, or building future‑ready talent structures, I focus on making change feel achievable, sustainable, and meaningful.What drives me is simple: helping people and organizations grow in ways that elevate performance and strengthen the communities they serve. I bring curiosity, candor, and a steady hand—especially in moments that require courage and clarity.If you’re building something ambitious and need a partner who can connect vision to action, I’d love to be part of that conversation.I bring an analytical curiosity combined with process rigor to HR, where strategic roadmaps meets human connection. I ask questions that make people pause, challenge assumptions, and ultimately evolve how entire organizations think, lead, and grow:I lead with high standards and trust. I create clarity when things get messy, ask the hard questions no one else will, and help leaders grow through discomfort. I believe structure should support people, not stifle them, and that the best cultures are built when accountability and empathy go hand in hand:– C-Suite HR experience with a 10K-employee, multi-site organization– PE and Fortune 200 enterprises valued in the billions– Focus on culture, total rewards, and HRIS and ATS transformation– Built national talent development programs from scratch– Saved millions by reducing turnover and improving productivity

Experience

1. Vice President Human Resources

   Krispy Kreme

   Mar 2020 — Present

   Strategic HR Partner to President, US & Canada. Member of US Leadership Team and Department Head of the HR Business Partner team. Develop People Strategies to enable delivery of business strategies for US Retail and Wholesale segments. Coach and develop leaders across all corporate and operational business segments. Design and deliver organizational changes to align to evolving business priorities and execute to intended outcomes. Develop team of Corporate and Field based HR Generalists to partner with assigned business leaders.

Education

• Benedictine University

  Bachelor's Degree, Psychology

  2004 — 2006