- In 1963, he made the decision to change the name of Pepsi's diet soda from Patio Diet Cola to Diet Pepsi. In the early years of diet soft drinks, Pepsi became the first major soda manufacturer to give its diet product the same name as its flagship product.
- Joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. As a bomber pilot he assisted in the Landings at Manila Bay, Mindoro, and Leyte Gulf. He was awarded 3 Air Medals and a Distinguished Flying Cross.
- Joined the Pepsi Cola Company as a sales representative and rose through the sales ranks becoming a marketing vice president in 1956. He headed up Pepsi's international operation in 1957 and became president in 1963. He retired in 1986.
- Oversaw the creation of the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens, a sculpture park that includes gardens, trails, parks, and a collection of art, primarily 20th century sculpture including works by Auguste Rodin, David Wynne, Alberto Giacometti, and Alexander Calder, at PepsiCo's corporate headquarters in Purchase, New York.
- Was nicknamed "Fang" by Joan Crawford who served on the board of PepsiCo.
- Attended Western Kentucky State College.
- In 1965 he oversaw the merger of Frito-Lay with Pepsi that created PepsiCo.
- Kendall brought Pepsi to Russia and was awarded the Order of Friendship by Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, in 2004.
- Responsible for encouraging Richard Nixon to order the CIA to assist General Pinochet with the overthrow of the democratically elected President of Chile Salvador Allende. This was the start of Operation Condor which was the brainchild of US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
- Sat on numerous corporate boards including the Director of Enfrastructure, Inc., Buy.com, AmRest Holdings SE, National Alliance of Businessmen, and Grocery Manufacturers of America, Inc.
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