Davis began his career in the baking industry in 1960 as a mechanical engineer working in the process design and layout of large wholesale bakeries for Campbell Taggart Associated Bakeries. He later left to join Jones Industries, a small material handling company specializing in the design and manufacturing of baggage handling systems for the airline industry and mail sorting systems for the U.S. Postal Service, but returned to Campbell in 1971 as director of engineering.
In 1980, Davis joined Mrs Baird’s Bakeries, Inc., as vice-president of engineering, helping the company develop its first company-wide maintenance program. Two years later, he joined Sasib Bakery, Inc. as executive vice-president of sales and marketing. In 1997, he left Sasib to become president of Pulver Systems, Inc., a bakery supplier of automated handling systems. He later worked for AMF Bakery Systems as vice-president of systems integration.
Davis started Bill Davis & Associates in 2001. The bakery consulting and support group provides application and design, selection, location and brokerage of bakery equipment to bakers in the United States, Southeast Asia, Pacific Rim and China.
Davis was a member of numerous baking organizations, including the American Society of Baking, American Bakers Association’s Safety Committee, and the AIB Education Committee. He spent 35 years on the Baking Industry Sanitation Standards Committee (BISSC) and was vice-chairman from 1997 to 2001.
Survivors include his wife, Nelda; sons Scott and wife, Georgana, of Irving; Andy of Plano, Texas; Todd and wife, Domini, of Arlington, Texas; and two grandsons.
