the top pharmacy benefits management company in the United States. Medco helps patients, through their jobs, unions, or HMOs, fill prescriptions by mail order or online within a network of pharmacies. The $35 billion company, based in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, is one of the nation’s 100 largest firms. Taylor is responsible for Medco’s Key Accounts group: government, labor groups, and UnitedHealth Group. He founded the UnitedHealth Group division in 1999 and served as its president until April 2002. Taylor later worked as Medco’s senior vice president of account management before assuming his current role. Before joining Medco, Taylor was president of FlexRx, which was acquired by Medco in 1993.
Don Thompson, Exec. VP & Innovation Orchestration Leader, Restaurant Solutions Group, McDonald’s USA, Age: 41, Thompson oversees new menu innovations for McDonald’s in 120 countries. He provides system leadership to identify and capitalize on new growth opportunities, including the supervision of concept development, R&D, and menu management. Previously, he was president of McDonald’s West Division, which included more than 4,000 restaurants and generated one-third of the company’s 2003 revenues. Today, McDonald’s is doing well with an emphasis on creating a new relationship with its customers. Through November 2004, McDonald’s sales were up 7.9% worldwide, and same-store sales were up 7.1% worldwide. Overall, McDonald’s is driving growth for the entire quick-service restaurant category, and published reports suggest that competitors are struggling to keep up.
John R. Thompson, Senior Vice President & G.M., BestBuy.com, Best Buy Co. Inc., Age: 52, In his position, Thompson is directly responsible for all aspects of the business unit, including operations and profit and loss. He joined Best Buy in 2001 as senior vice president of Supply Chain and Business Systems for Best Buy stores. Previously, he held positions at Goody’s Family Clothing Inc.; Lee Apparel Co.; and General Electric, where he spent 15 years serving the marketing, logistics, finance, and operations units. BestBuy.com is the wholly owned Internet subsidiary of Best Buy, a specialty retailer of consumer electronics, personal computers, entertainment software, and major appliances. Thompson serves as a director of the Best Buy Children’s Foundation and is a member of the National Retail Federation’s Information Technology Council.
Matthew Thornton, Sr. VP, AGFS Division, FedEx Express, FedEx Corp., Age: 46, Thornton is directly responsible for FedEx customers’ package delivery day in and day out. The senior executive oversees all strategic planning for the sort, line haul pickup, and delivery of FedEx Express freight services worldwide. For the past six years, Thornton has served as vice president, central region, of U.S. domestic ground operations and has enhanced service and profitability for the $17 billion subsidiary. The Memphis native holds an M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee. In the past, Thornton served as co-chair of the FedEx United Way corporate campaign. He’s also the recipient of four FedEx Express Five Star Awards, the highest award the company bestows on individual employees in recognition of outstanding performance.
Michael A. Todman, Executive VP; President, Whirlpool Europe, Whirlpool Corp., Age: 46, Todman has traveled