Black Chairman & CEO's of Fortune 500 Companies

The "Fortune 500"  is a list of the 500 largest companies in the United States as compiled by Fortune magazine. Only 15 black executives have ever made it to the Chairman or CEO position of a "Fortune 500" listed company. Of these 15 executives, there are currently 4 active, representing 1% of the Fortune 500 top leadership.

In 1987, Dr. Clifton R. Wharton, Jr. became Chairman and CEO of TIAA-CREF — distinguishing him as the first black CEO of a Fortune 500 company. 

Franklin Raines became the second black person to lead a "Fortune 500" company, when he became CEO of Fannie Mae in 1999. 

On July 1, 2009, Ursula Burns became the first black woman to head a Fortune 500 company. Ms. Burns stepped down as the CEO of Xerox in late 2016, following the completion of the separation of Xerox into two independent, publicly-traded companies. She will serve as chairman of the board of the post-separation Document Technology company.

On October 18, 2017, Kenneth Chenault announced he will be stepping down as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Express at the end of January 2018. He is the fourth black CEOs to have retired over the last three years. Ursula Burns left her post as head of Xerox in 2016 when the company split in two, and Rodney O'Neal retired from his role as CEO and president of Delphi in 2015. Don Thompson retired as CEO of McDonald's in 2015, as well.

There are currently no black majority owned company in the Fortune 500 rankings.

Updated October 23, 2017.

Black Chairman & CEO's from America's 500 Largest Corporations 2017

Current Black CEO's of Fortune 500 Companies

• John W. Thompson

  

  Born: April 24, 1949, in Fort Dix, New Jersey Position: Chairman, Board of Directors, Company: Microsoft Corporation, Industry: Technology Country: United States

• Kenneth C. Frazier

  

  Born: December 17, 1954, Position: President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Company: Merck & Co., Inc., Industry: Health Care, Country: United States

• Roger W. Ferguson, Jr.

  

  Born: October 28, 1951, Washington, D.C.; Position: President and CEO; Company: TIAA-CREF; Industry: Insurance; Country: United States

Former African American CEO's of Fortune 500 Companies

• Aylwin Lewis

  

  Born: May 28, 1954, Houston, TX. Company: Potbelly Sandwich Works Position: Chief Executive Officer and President Industry: Food Services Country: United States

• Clarence Otis, Jr.

  

  Born: April 11, 1956, Vicksburg, MS. Company: Darden Restaurants, Inc. Position: Former Chief Executive Officer and President Industry: Food Services Country: United States

• Clifton R. Wharton Jr.

  

  Born: September 13, 1926, Boston, MA; Position: former United States Deputy Secretary of State, former chairman, CEO; Company: TIAA-CREF; Industry: Insurance; Country: United States

• Don Thompson

  

  Born: 1963, Chicago, IL. Company: McDonald's Position: CEO Industry: Food Country: United States

• Franklin Delano Raines

  

  Born: January 14, 1949, Seattle, Washington Company: Revolution LLC Position: Director Industry: Financial Services Country: United States

• Kenneth I. Chenault

  

  Born: June 2, 1951, New York, New York; Company: General Catalyst Partners; Position: Chairman, managing director; Industry: Venture capital; Country: United States

• Lloyd D. Ward

  

  Company: CleanTech Solutions Worldwide, LLC, Position: Chairman and CEO, Industry: Waste Management Services, Food Manufacturing, Country: United States

• Richard Dean Parson

  

  Born: April 4, 1948, Brooklyn, NY; Position: Co-founder and Partner; Company: Imagination Capital; Industry: Venture Capital; Country: United States

• Rodney O'Neal

  

  Born: c. 1954 Company: Delphi Corporation Position: Chief Executive Officer and President Industry: Automotive Country: United States

• Ronald A. Williams

  

  Born: 1949, Chicago, Illinois, United States Company: RW2 Enterprises Position: Chairman and CEO Industry: Health Care Country: United States

• Stanley O'Neal

  

  Born: Oct. 7, 1951, Roanoke, Ala. Company: Alcoa Inc. Position: Director Industry: Financial Services Country: United States

• Ursula M. Burns

  

  Born: New York, New York, September 20, 1958; Position: former Chairman and CEO; Company: Xerox Corporation; Industry: Information technology; Country: United States

Possible Future Black CEO's of Fortune 500 Companies

• Charles E. Phillips, Jr.

  

  Born: 1959, Little Rock, Arkansas, Company: Infor Global Solutions, Position: CEO, Industry: Computer Technology, Country: United States

• Myron Gray

  

  Born: c. 1959 Position: President of U.S. Operations, Company: United Parcel Service of North America, Inc., (NYSE: UPS), Industry: Courier Country: United States

• Rosalind G. Brewer

  

  Born: c. 1962; Position: Group President and Chief Operating Officer; Company: Starbucks Corporation; Industry: Food & Beverages; Country: United States