Jo Ann Jenkins
GENERAL MILLSAbout Jo Ann Jenkins
Jo Ann Jenkins (age 67) is an independent director of General Mills (GIS) since 2020. She is the former CEO of AARP (2014–2024) with prior senior roles at AARP (EVP/COO; President, AARP Foundation), the Library of Congress (COO/Chief of Staff), and earlier leadership posts at USDA, DOT, and HUD, bringing deep strengths in strategy, public policy, marketing, and governance to the board . GIS has affirmatively determined all non‑employee directors, including Ms. Jenkins, are independent under NYSE standards .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AARP, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | 2014–2024 | Led transformation and strategic management of largest U.S. nonprofit for 50+ population |
| AARP, Inc. | EVP & Chief Operating Officer | 2013–2014 | Enterprise operations leadership |
| AARP Foundation | President | 2010–2013 | Oversight of philanthropic arm |
| Library of Congress | COO; Chief of Staff | (prior to 2010) | Federal institution operations and governance |
| U.S. Federal Agencies (USDA, DOT, HUD) | Senior roles | (prior) | Public policy and community relations experience |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avnet, Inc. | Director | Not disclosed | Only public company directorship listed in GIS proxy |
Board Governance
- Current GIS committee assignments: Corporate Governance Committee (member) and Public Responsibility Committee (member) .
- Independence: Affirmed independent; GIS board is majority independent, with executive sessions of independent directors at each board meeting .
- Attendance: In FY2025 the board met 8 times and committees met 22 times; all directors attended at least 75% of aggregate board/committee meetings; all then‑serving directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Years of service on GIS board: Independent Director since 2020 .
- Board size/leadership context: Robust independent Lead Director structure with executive sessions at every board meeting .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2025 Amount | FY2024 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash fees (retainer + committee fees) | $100,000 | $97,500 | Standard independent director retainer $100,000; additional fees apply for certain roles/committees (audit member +$5k; committee chairs +$20–25k; Lead Director +$35k) |
| Equity (RSUs, grant-date fair value) | $180,073 | $180,007 | Annual RSU grant at (re)election; F25 grant sized at 2,441 RSUs at $73.77 on 9/24/2024; vest at next annual meeting; dividend equivalents accrue only if vest |
| Total | $280,073 | $277,507 | Directors may elect to receive retainers in stock and/or defer retainers/RSUs |
Director program design: Annual $100k cash retainer (quarterly), RSUs ≈$180k upon (re)election, plus role-based retainers; RSUs vest at next annual meeting; directors can defer cash/RSUs; no meeting fees .
Performance Compensation
- None. Director equity is time‑based RSUs (no performance metrics); no stock options are awarded to directors. Vesting is time‑based to the next annual meeting; dividend equivalents paid only upon vesting .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Person | Other Public Boards | Potential Interlocks/Conflicts |
|---|---|---|
| Jo Ann Jenkins | Avnet, Inc. | No related‑party transactions disclosed involving Ms. Jenkins; GIS Corporate Governance Committee reviews related‑party matters |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Skill matrix highlights: Senior Executive Leadership; Marketing/e‑commerce; Innovation; Governance expertise; Government/Public Policy expertise—reflecting AARP transformation and federal institutional leadership experience .
- Board limits policy: Max four total public boards (two if active public company CEO); audit committee members generally max three audit committees .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficially owned GIS shares (7/31/2025) | 14,590 shares |
| Unvested director RSUs at FY2025 year‑end | 2,441 RSUs per independent director from 2024 (re)election grant |
| Shares outstanding (record date 8/4/2025) | 534,685,865 |
| Ownership as % of shares outstanding (approx.) | ~0.0027% (14,590 ÷ 534,685,865) |
| Stock ownership guidelines | 5x annual retainer for independent directors; as of 7/31/2025 all independent directors met or exceeded the requirement except Mr. Dorer (newly joined in 2024) |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Officers/directors prohibited from hedging or pledging company stock |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and alignment: Jenkins’ policy, public sector, and nonprofit transformation background complements GIS’s consumer, risk, and sustainability oversight needs; her committee assignments (Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility) leverage those strengths .
- Independence/attendance: Independent, with at least 75% attendance in FY2025; independent executive sessions held each meeting—supports oversight rigor .
- Pay alignment and ownership: Director pay mix (cash retainer + time‑based RSUs) aligns with shareholders via equity; Jenkins’ beneficial ownership and guideline compliance (board‑wide) support alignment; hedging/pledging prohibited .
- Conflicts/related parties: No Jenkins‑related transactions disclosed; related‑party review overseen by Corporate Governance Committee .
- Shareholder signals: Say‑on‑pay support ~93% in 2024, indicating generally strong investor confidence in compensation governance; board continues proactive investor engagement .
RED FLAGS: None specific to Ms. Jenkins identified in GIS filings (no attendance shortfall, no related‑party ties, no pledging/hedging, and equity-based alignment in place) .
Appendix: Committee Membership Detail (FY2025)
- Corporate Governance Committee (members): Maria A. Sastre (Chair), Benno O. Dorer, Maria G. Henry, Jo Ann Jenkins, Eric D. Sprunk .
- Public Responsibility Committee (members): Jorge A. Uribe (Chair), Maria G. Henry, Jo Ann Jenkins, Diane L. Neal, Steve Odland .