Dave Hess

Dave is a fractional People & Culture Manager with over 40 years of HR consulting and organizational development experience. He specializes in building functional HR practices and high-performance cultures for growing and emerging companies.

Operationally minded yet strategically focused, Dave collaborates with leadership to align business planning, financial expertise, and people systems. His extensive background spans family-owned enterprises, major food manufacturing startups, ecommerce, mining, drilling, oil, and aerospace.

Known for his purposeful approach and pragmatic solutions, Dave consistently drives meaningful results for his clients and across his projects.

Industry Experience

  • Human Resources
  • Culture Management
  • Startups
  • Aerospace
  • Food Manufacturing
  • eCommerce
  • Mining/Drilling/Oil
  • Enterprise

Areas of Expertise

  • Business Assessment
  • HR Strategy
  • Organization Systems Design
  • Recruiting
  • Team Culture
  • Team Development
  • Performance Management
  • Change Management
  • Strategic Pay
  • Bilingual (Spanish/English)

Education

  • MBA, International Business,
    Middlebury College
  • BA, Political Science/Intl Relations,
    University of Utah

Recent Articles By Tom Applegarth

5 Roles to Outsource for Your Company
A team meeting in an office with exposed brick walls and glass from outsourced Preferred CFO

5 Roles to Outsource for Your Company

Sep 11, 2025 12:30:00 PM 7 min read
Why You Should Embrace Hiring Older Workers
Hiring older workers at a desk with a young workforce showing leadership by Preferred CFO

Why You Should Embrace Hiring Older Workers

Sep 2, 2025 4:44:36 PM 4 min read
Offshoring Talent: What CEOs Should Know About Agencies & Direct Hiring
world map of offshore locations and outsourced resources from Preferred CFO outsourced HR team

Offshoring Talent: What CEOs Should Know About Agencies & Direct Hiring

Aug 12, 2025 10:45:00 AM 5 min read