Gale V. King Named Chair of The Executive Leadership Council

Gale V. King, Independent Board Director and Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer (retired) at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, has been elected Chair of The Executive Leadership Council (ELC).

The ELC is the preeminent global membership organization for Black CEOs, C-Suite and senior executives, board members, top-tier entrepreneurs, and global thought leaders. The organization and its members work to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline that empowers global Black leaders to make impactful contributions to the marketplace and the global communities they serve.

King’s term as Chair commenced on January 1, 2023. She succeeds Lloyd W. Brown, II, Corporate Community Reinvestment Act Officer at Citigroup, who served as ELC Board Chair for the prior two-year term from 2021 –2022.

“For more than a decade, I have been an enthusiastic advocate for The Executive Leadership Council and its stellar work in advancing Black leadership at the highest levels within global corporations and for paving the way for the next generations to come,” said King. “It is an honor to serve in this leadership role and I embrace the opportunity to partner with our members and member-affiliated companies to create lasting change and drive sustainable impact in the global community.”

“I have had the privilege of witnessing Gale’s leadership over several years and am delighted to welcome her as our new Board Chair. I am certain that we will benefit greatly from her unwavering commitment to our organization’s promise and its continued progress,” said Michael C. Hyter, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Executive Leadership Council.

After a distinguished career that spanned 37 years where she served as a member of the senior executive leadership team overseeing human resources, corporate real estate, and related support services across the business, King retired from Nationwide in July 2021. Her business leadership, which had marked impact across the organization, left an indelible mark on Nationwide. King notably spearheaded inclusive and future-focused workforce and culture practices that helped Nationwide become an award-winning workplace.

“Gale’s strategic and operational leadership at Nationwide was significant. She contributed to the business success and was a strategic leader and partner in the evolution of Nationwide’s world-class workforce culture,” said Kirt Walker, Nationwide Chief Executive Officer. “I am excited to watch Gale’s transformational leadership continue through her Chair role at The Executive Leadership Council.”

King also serves as a board director on several corporate boards including, AutoZone, J.B. Hunt and Unum Group.

“Gale is an exceptional leader who has provided significant insights and contributions to the AutoZone board. As Chair of The ELC, I know that she and the board will be a tremendous team in advancing The ELC mission,” said Bill Rhodes, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AutoZone.

As Chair, King heads the Executive Committee of The Executive Leadership Council Board of Directors, which includes Directors Nancy Armand of HSBC, Vice Chair; Gena Ashe of Anterix, Secretary; and Shaundra Clay of Beam Suntory, Treasurer.  In addition to the members of the Executive Committee, The ELC Board of Directors includes Gerald Charles, Jr. of Capital One, Ed Dandridge of Susan G. Komen Board, Thomas R. Harvey of FloZenda Consulting, LLC, Janice Innis-Thompson of Nationwide, Sena Kwawu of Avista, Cynt Marshall of Dallas Mavericks, Oral Muir of Hilton, Javara Perrilliat of Republic Services, Irene Quarshie of Target, Valerie I. Rainford of Elloree Talent Strategies, Shelley Stewart, Jr. of Bottom Line Advisory, Telisa Toliver of Chevron and Roy Weathers of PwC. Ex-Officio members of The ELC Board are Lloyd W. Brown, II, immediate past chair, and Michael C. Hyter, ELC President and CEO.

The Executive Leadership Council, an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1986, is the preeminent membership organization committed to increasing the number of global Black executives in C-Suites, on corporate boards, and in global enterprises. Comprising more than 800 current and former Black CEOs, senior executives, and board directors at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies, and entrepreneurs at top-tier firms, its members work to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline that empowers global Black leaders to make impactful contributions to the marketplace and the global communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.elcinfo.com.