Brenda C. Barnes
Encyclopedia
Brenda C. Barnes was the president, chairman and chief executive of Sara Lee , and previously was the first female CEO of Pepsi-Cola North America.
in 1976 and Vice President of Marketing for Frito-Lay
in 1981, Barnes became Group VP of Marketing for PepsiCo
in 1984. She became President of Pepsi-Cola South/West in 1991, and COO of PepsiCo North America in 1993. Finally, in 1996, she became president and CEO of Pepsi-Cola North America in 1996, a job she left in 1997 to spend more time with her family, a move that made national headlines.
After PepsiCo, she spent time as Interim President and COO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, from Nov 1999 - Mar 2000, and as an Adjunct Professor, Northwestern University
’s Kellogg School of Management
and at North Central College
in 2002.
In July 2004, she became President and COO of Sara Lee Corp.. In February 2005, she became President and CEO of Sara Lee, and in October 2005, Chairman and CEO. While there, Barnes moved Sara Lee's headquarters out of downtown Chicago
to suburban Downers Grove.
Barnes is or has been on the board of directors of Avon Products, Inc., Augustana College
, Grocery Manufacturers Association
, LucasFilm, Ltd., The New York Times Company
, PepsiAmericas, Inc., Sara Lee Corporation, Sears, Roebuck & Co., Staples, Inc.
. She has also been on the steering Committee of the Kellogg Center for Executive Women, Northwestern University
.
While CEO of Sara Lee in 2008, Brenda C. Barnes earned a total compensation of $10,489,347, which included a base salary of $1,000,000, a cash bonus of $1,993,597, stocks granted of $4,866,000, and options granted of $2,398,668.
, and an MBA in 1978 from Loyola University Chicago
. In 1997 she was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters from Augustana College.
list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women since 2004, appearing in the top ten in 2005 and 2006.
In 2009 she was ranked 29th in Forbes
list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women.
Career
After working as a business manager for Wilson Sporting GoodsWilson Sporting Goods
The Wilson Sporting Goods Company is a sports equipment manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois, and currently is a foreign subsidiary of the Finnish company Amer Sports....
in 1976 and Vice President of Marketing for Frito-Lay
Frito-Lay
Frito-Lay North America is the division of PepsiCo that manufactures, markets and sells corn chips, potato chips and other snack foods. The primary snack food brands produced under the Frito-Lay name include Fritos corn chips, Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips,...
in 1981, Barnes became Group VP of Marketing for PepsiCo
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
in 1984. She became President of Pepsi-Cola South/West in 1991, and COO of PepsiCo North America in 1993. Finally, in 1996, she became president and CEO of Pepsi-Cola North America in 1996, a job she left in 1997 to spend more time with her family, a move that made national headlines.
After PepsiCo, she spent time as Interim President and COO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, from Nov 1999 - Mar 2000, and as an Adjunct Professor, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
’s Kellogg School of Management
Kellogg School of Management
The Kellogg School of Management is the business school of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, downtown Chicago, Illinois and Miami, Florida. Kellogg offers full-time, part-time, and executive programs, as well as partnering programs with schools in China, India, Hong Kong, Israel,...
and at North Central College
North Central College
North Central College is a leading liberal arts college providing students at different stages of life and from different ethnic, economic and religious backgrounds with comprehensive educational programs.-Academics:...
in 2002.
In July 2004, she became President and COO of Sara Lee Corp.. In February 2005, she became President and CEO of Sara Lee, and in October 2005, Chairman and CEO. While there, Barnes moved Sara Lee's headquarters out of downtown Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to suburban Downers Grove.
Barnes is or has been on the board of directors of Avon Products, Inc., Augustana College
Augustana College (Illinois)
Augustana College is a private liberal arts college located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. The college enrolls approximately 2,500 students. Covering of hilly, wooded land, Augustana is adjacent to the Mississippi River...
, Grocery Manufacturers Association
Grocery Manufacturers Association
The Grocery Manufacturers Association is a trade association based in Washington, D.C..Since 1908, GMA has been representing the world's largest branded food, beverage and consumer product companies...
, LucasFilm, Ltd., The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company is an American media company best known as the publisher of its namesake, The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. has served as Chairman of the Board since 1997. It is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City....
, PepsiAmericas, Inc., Sara Lee Corporation, Sears, Roebuck & Co., Staples, Inc.
Staples, Inc.
Staples Inc. is a large office supply chain store, with over 2,000 stores worldwide in 26 countries. Based in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, the company has retail stores, serving customers under its original name in Austria, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Norway,...
. She has also been on the steering Committee of the Kellogg Center for Executive Women, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
.
While CEO of Sara Lee in 2008, Brenda C. Barnes earned a total compensation of $10,489,347, which included a base salary of $1,000,000, a cash bonus of $1,993,597, stocks granted of $4,866,000, and options granted of $2,398,668.
Education
Barnes received a BA in Economics in 1975 from Augustana College (Illinois)Augustana College (Illinois)
Augustana College is a private liberal arts college located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. The college enrolls approximately 2,500 students. Covering of hilly, wooded land, Augustana is adjacent to the Mississippi River...
, and an MBA in 1978 from Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
. In 1997 she was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters from Augustana College.
Recognition
Brenda has been listed in ForbesForbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women since 2004, appearing in the top ten in 2005 and 2006.
In 2009 she was ranked 29th in Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women.
External links
- Sara Lee management biography: Brenda Barnes
- Barnes Profile - Forbes.com
- Member Profiles - Brenda C. Barnes - The Chicago Network
- USA Today profile