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

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Layoffs vs. Alternatives: Is There a Smarter Way to Save My Company?

Apr 24, 2025 2:11:59 PM 5 min read
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Navigating Employee Terminations: How to Handle Laying Off Employees
A termination letter for an employee during workforce reductions or economic hardship

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