Dave Banyard (CEO, MasterBrand, Inc.): Fighter Jets, Bold Leadership & Lessons from Winston Churchill

There’s a side of military leadership most people never see—one built on trust, delegation, and learning through failure. Dave Banyard brings those lessons straight into his position as CEO. In this episode of What’s Up at Work?, Sam Clyde Schroeder sits down with Dave Banyard, President and CEO of MasterBrand, the largest residential cabinet manufacturer in North America. Before running a multi-billion-dollar company, Dave flew F/A-18 fighter jets for the U.S. Navy, and he brings a refreshingly candid take on leadership, decision-making, and culture from the cockpit to the factory floor. Hear how Dave translates military lessons into business leadership, builds trust across thousands of employees, and empowers his employees to make bold decisions. You’ll get his thoughts on delegation, transparency, coaching, and why being a CEO is a lot like building a jigsaw puzzle while finding all of the pieces. Timestamps 00:50 Dave’s path from fighter pilot to CEO 03:00 Motivating 18-year-olds to clean toilets and why presence matters in leadership 07:50 “No ranks in the air”: Decentralized decision-making and trust under pressure 09:30 Translating military purpose into company culture at MasterBrand 11:00 Why every process can be examined and designed for a better outcome 13:40 How manufacturing and military environments are more similar than you’d think 15:30 Breaking the habit of “delegating up” and teaching decision ownership 20:00 Transparency, failure, and why dancing around problems kills progress 22:30 Why every CEO needs a coach (and how Dave uses his) 25:00 The Churchill-inspired communication strategy Dave uses with his team 29:30 Becoming a public company: Dave’s take on leadership through transition 33:00 Redefining career paths with experiences over titles If you liked what you heard, be sure to subscribe to What’s Up at Work? and leave a quick review, it helps others find us and keeps these conversations going. New episodes come out regularly with insights from real leaders making an impact in their workplaces. 🔗 Learn more about ERC: www.yourerc.com 🔗 Visit MasterBrand: www.masterbrand.com