Contact: Joanne Krell, 269.969.2079, joanne.krell@wkkf.org
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The W.K. Kellogg Foundation today announced the election of a new trustee to its board of directors, a new board chair, as well as re-election of its trustees and officers during its annual meeting.
Dr. Celeste A. Clark of Battle Creek, Mich., will join the board in January, bringing the number of trustees to 12. Roderick D. Gillum of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., was elected as the new chair for a two-year term, replacing Fred P. Keller of Grand Rapids, Mich., whose term as chair expired. Keller was re-elected to a three-year trustee term, as were Wenda Weekes Moore of Minneapolis and Hanmin Liu of San Francisco.
Clark was most recently the senior vice president of global public policy and external relations at the Kellogg Company in Battle Creek. She joined the company in 1977 as a nutritionist and had since served in executive and management positions in nutrition communications, marketing, marketing services and communications. She serves on the board of directors of the Mead Johnson Nutrition Company and the Auto Club Group/AAA Michigan. Clark also is involved in many professional and industry affiliations including the Grocery Manufacturers of America, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the International Food and Beverage Association, the Consumer Goods Forum, the Institute of Medicine Food Forum and she is a member of the Executive Leadership Council.
“We are pleased to welcome Celeste to the board of trustees and look forward to the experience, knowledge and perspective she will bring to our work in creating the conditions that propel vulnerable children to realize their full potential in school, work and life,” said Keller. “With the creative, insightful and potentially transformative efforts underway at the foundation, it is it is more important than ever that dynamic leaders like Celeste join our board. And, as incoming Board Chair Rod Gillum assumes his new role, I extend my best wishes for his leadership during this exciting period.”
Other Kellogg Foundation board members include: Dorothy A. Johnson of Grand Haven, Mich.; Cynthia H. Milligan of Lincoln, Neb.; Bobby D. Moser of Columbus, Ohio; Ramón Murguía of Kansas City, Kan.; Joseph M. Stewart and Richard M. Tsoumas, both of Battle Creek; and Kellogg Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Sterling K. Speirn of Augusta, Mich.
The following individuals, in addition to Speirn, were re-elected as foundation officers: La June Montgomery Tabron, chief operating officer and treasurer; James E. McHale, chief of staff; Gail C. Christopher, vice president – program strategy; Susan Katz Froning, corporate secretary and general counsel; Joanne K. Krell, vice president for communications; and Joel Wittenberg, vice president and chief investment officer.
Appointed to the board’s audit committee were Stewart (chair), Clark, Liu, Johnson, Moser, Speirn (ex-officio) and Gillum (ex-officio). Appointed to the board development committee were Johnson (chair), Keller, Moore, Moser, Tsoumas, Speirn (ex-officio) and Gillum (ex-officio). Appointed to the budget committee were Murguía (chair), Clark, Keller, Milligan, Stewart, Speirn (ex-officio) and Gillum (ex-officio). Appointed to the finance committee were Tsoumas (chair), Liu, Milligan, Moore, Murguía, Speirn (ex-officio) and Gillum (ex-officio).
About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, founded in 1930 by breakfast cereal pioneer Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Based in Battle Creek, Mich., WKKF works nationally and internationally, and engages with communities in priority places in across the U.S., Mexico and Haiti, to create conditions that propel vulnerable children to realize their full potential in school, work and life. To learn more, visit www.wkkf.org or follow WKKF on twitter at @wk_kellogg_fdn.
