MINNEAPOLIS — Kim Nelson, senior vice-president of external relations at General Mills, Inc. and president of the General Mills Foundation, will retire at the end of the year. Ms. Nelson has been with the company for 29 years and most recently has had responsibility for the General Mills Foundation, sustainability, global corporate communications, government affairs and public policy, and consumer relations functions.
Ms. Nelson has been a corporate officer since 2000 and was named senior vice-president of external relations in 2010. Earlier, she was president of the U.S. Snacks division and spent 22 years in operating roles leading a variety of brands, including Cheerios, Wheaties, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Yoplait, Hamburger Helper, Old El Paso and Chex Mix.
“I want to thank Kim for her wisdom, judgment and perspective in helping us navigate an increasingly complex and uncertain external environment, and for everything she has done to represent General Mills with all our stakeholders,” said Jeffrey L. Harmening, chief executive officer.
General Mills said Ms. Nelson’s role will not be replaced at this time, and instead the key external relations functional leaders will report into other members of the global senior leadership team. Jerry Lynch, chief sustainability officer, will become part of the supply chain organization reporting to John Church, executive vice-president of supply chain; Mary Lynn Carver, chief communications officer, will report in through Ivan Pollard, chief marketing officer; government affairs and public policy/external relations vice-presidents Mary Catherine Toker and Sylvie Galliaerde will report to Richard Allendorf, general counsel and secretary; and Mary Jane Melendez, executive director of the General Mills Foundation, will report to Jacqueline Williams-Roll, chief human resources officer.
