A Shared Passion: Interview with Kaylynn Daggett of MWI Animal Health

Opportunities, challenges, and people made joining the animal health industry an easy choice for this executive.

Kaylynn Daggett is vice president of finance for the animal health businesses within Amerisource Bergen’s portfolio of healthcare solutions. She has extensive experience in finance, accounting, treasury, finance IT systems, shared services, and risk management functions in addition to M&A, IPO and public company reporting. Before joining MWI Animal Health, Ms. Daggett was division vice president, controller for Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI). Prior to that role, she served in a strategic leadership role at one of the most prominent North American horticultural companies.

Q: What excited you about joining the animal health industry?

Kaylynn Daggett: Providing healthier futures for our pets and feeding a growing hungry world was very motivating for me as I began learning about MWI before starting with the company this past March. As I have continued to learn about the company and the industry, I have enjoyed witnessing the ‘how’ this happens: it happens by partnering with, and supporting, customers in meaningful and innovative ways. It is clear that everyone in the animal health industry shares this passion, and it is a significantly more complex and diverse industry than it appears to be on the surface. The transformative nature, daily opportunities (code word ‘challenges’) and terrific people you get to work with every day made joining this industry an easy choice.

Q: What does it take to lead a high performing team, regardless of industry?

Daggett: A high-performing team requires a culture that promotes and supports its team members in being fully engaged. Engagement can be defined in many ways but I have found if the following attributes are present you have a pretty good chance: a passion for the Mission, confidence in the leaders who are setting the Vision, and clarity of Goals with clearly defined outcomes. With a strong mission, vision, and goals, the team has the structure to perform. And, this strong framework really comes to life when the culture is such that associates truly have the opportunity to affect change, drive value, feel connected (i.e., see how their work has meaning), feel supported in a fail-fast/learn-fast environment, and know that they are respected and valued. Last but not least, be sure to throw some well-earned fun into the mix.

Q: What is the best piece of advice you’ve received during your career?

Daggett: Make meaningful connections and treat everyone as your No. 1 customer! No matter what lens you are looking through, what endeavor you are working on or who you are attempting to influence, viewing them as your No. 1 customer helps set a stage of collaboration and positive outcomes. Customers like to feel they are important, they are being heard, and you sincerely want to get to “yes”. Having that in mind – no matter who you are interacting with –usually makes conversations run a whole lot smoother.