Related article: Fifth Annual Survey of the General Counsel in the Fortune 500
Listen to the stories of the 21 people of color who are general counsel at Fortune 500® companies ranging from major chemical companies such as DuPont Company to McDonald's Corporation, America's most recognized fast food company. The paths of these 21 general counsel all differ. However, where they intersect at the top shows us that they are all extraordinary attorneys who possess not only the paper credentials everyone expects but also the determination to overcome obstacles and the willingness to go above and beyond what is expected to get the job done.
These general counsel also have a strong commitment to diversity, which is evident by their willingness to participate in having individual profiles developed by MCCA. They allotted time in their busy schedules to assist MCCA with providing our readers personal information about themselves. The 21 general counsel presented wanted to share their experiences with you, so you can learn from their experiences. These profiles have the answers to questions that you have always wanted to ask, yet you have lacked the opportunity to pose.
— Alea J. Mitchell
| Wayne A. Budd | Executive Vice President and General Counsel John Hancock Financial Services |
| C. Michael Carter | Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Dole Food Company, Inc. |
| M. Javade Chaudhri | Senior Vice President and General Counsel Gateway, Inc. |
| Jose M. de Lasa | Senior Vice President and General Counsel Abbott Laboratories |
| James C. Diggs | Senior Vice President and General Counsel PPG Industries, Inc. |
| Israel J. Floyd | Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel Hercules Incorporated |
| Kenneth C. Frazier | Senior Vice President and General Counsel Merck ® Co., Inc. |
| Lisa G. Iglesias | General Counsel, Vice President and Secretary Spherion Corporation |
| James R. Jenkins | Senior Vice President and General Counsel Deere ® Company |
| Leonard J. Kennedy | Senior Vice President and General Counsel Nextel Communications, Inc. |
| Don H. Liu | Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Secretary, and Chair of Diversity Council IKON Office Solutions |
| George W. Madison | Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary Comerica Incorporated |
| Stacey J. Mobley | Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel DuPont Company |
| Roderick A. Palmore | Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary Sara Lee Corporation |
| Leslie J. Parrette | Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel UtiliCorp United |
| Deval L. Patrick | Executive Vice President and General Counsel The Coca-Cola Company |
| Tracy L. Rich | Senior Vice President and General Counsel The Phoenix Companies, Inc. |
| Gloria Santona | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary McDonald's Corporation |
| Solomon B. Watson IV | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary The New York Times Company |
| Paul S. Williams | Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary Cardinal Health, Inc. |
| Gordon T. Yamate | Vice President and General Counsel Knight Ridder |
From the December 2001 issue of Diversity & The Bar®