Our Founders’ Philosophy
How to Succeed in Business – and in Life
Be honest …
With yourself, your coworkers, your suppliers, your customers, and your consumers – everyone.
Be willing to change.
You can’t grow in business if you’re not willing to adapt.
Value your consumers.
We wouldn’t be in business if people didn’t buy our products. We produce a wide range of products to please a wide range of tastes.
Demand the best of yourself and others.
O.D. once said, “I’d never ask someone to do something I wouldn’t do myself.” The McKee family works hard and expects the same of all employees today.
Find a niche and fill it.
In 1960, we pioneered the family pack, a package of individual snack cakes that sold for 49 cents. The products were named after O.D. and Ruth’s granddaughter, Debbie McKee, and, as they say, the rest is history.
Treat people right.
After Ruth died, many employees commented that “She always made me feel like a somebody.” We carry on the family tradition of concern for employees and show it by providing a good pay-and-benefits package to attract good people and keep them.
Be confident in your abilities.
O.D. was dyslexic, which, in the 1930s and 40s, was a largely undiagnosed learning disability. But O.D. was confident in his mechanical abilities, his drive, and his determination; this confidence helped him compensate for the challenges of dyslexia.
Take reasonable risks.
O.D. loved a challenge and didn’t mind taking a leap into the unknown. Ruth’s natural inclination was to carefully consider a proposal before taking action. The two combined to make a powerful decision-making team: Her cautious nature added the “reasonable” to O.D.’s willingness to take “risks.”
Don’t be discouraged by setbacks.
Everyone faces setbacks, but successful businesspeople refuse to be daunted by them. In the early 1950s, problems at their Charlotte, N.C., plant forced the McKees to consider retiring from the baking business. Instead, they took a large pay cut and started all over again at the old Chattanooga plant.
Be ethical.
At McKee Foods, it’s not just the best way to do business. It’s the only way to do business.
Find a better way.
Throughout our history, we’ve invented or modified machinery and equipment, improved processes, and developed new products. We have prospered because our employees continue to find creative solutions to daily challenges.
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