Arnold W. Donald was elected to the position of chair of the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Board of Trustees at the institution’s annual meeting on Dec. 9. He is the first African American to hold this leadership position.
The chair’s responsibilities include presiding at board meetings; appointing all committees, designating chairs and serving as ex-officio member of all committees; and making an annual report to the board on Garden operations.
The Garden’s 2009 operating budget is $35.3 million and its endowment as of Oct. 31 was $64 million.
“We are very much looking forward to Mr. Donald’s tenure as chair of the Garden’s Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Peter Raven, the Garden’s longtime, internationally renowned president.
“He brings not only a wealth of experience, but a longstanding, deep involvement in our community to the position. We are very fortunate to have his guidance as we move forward in our mission to be a local, national and international leader to preserve plants and their environment.”
The Missouri Botanical Garden is the oldest continually operating botanical garden in the nation, celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2009.
“Arnold is a poster person for a stellar achiever in business,” said St. Louis American Publisher Donald M. Suggs, a friend and colleague with Donald in many philanthropic endeavors.
“He has also been an ardent and outspoken proponent for greater diversity in his interactions with his business peers.”
The former president and chief executive officer of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Donald was elected vice chairman of the Garden’s board in 2009 and has served as a member of the institution’s executive and finance committees. He joined the Garden’s Board of Trustees in 2001.
This year, Donald and his wife, Hazel, served as de Tocqueville Society co-chairs for the United Way of Greater St. Louis’ fundraising campaign. The society recognizes those who annually give $10,000 or more to United Way. They led the effort to bring in more than $10 million during the down economy.
Previously, Donald was chairman of Merisant Company and a senior executive at Monsanto Company.
Donald was named Executive of the Year by Black Enterprise Magazine in 1997 and received the Washington University Distinguished Alumni Award in 1998. In 2002, Fortune Magazine named him #17 on their list of “The 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in America.”
A native of New Orleans, Donald was appointed in 1998 by President Bill Clinton to serve on the President’s Export Council for international trade. President George Bush re-appointed him to the PEC in Feb. 2003.
Donald holds a B.A. degree from Carleton College, a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Washington University and an MBA from the University of Chicago graduate School of Business.
In addition to his involvement with the Missouri Botanical Garden and United Way, Donald currently serves on the boards of Carleton College, Dillard University, Washington University, St. Louis Science Center, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, St. Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Laclede Group and the St. Louis Sports Commission, among others.
Donald is a past president of the Leadership Center of Greater St. Louis and a former member of the corporate roundtable of the Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Science and the Caux Business Roundtable.
At the annual meeting, W. Stephen (Steve) Maritz and Cheryl Morley were elected to serve as vice chairs of the Garden’s Board of Trustees, and Daniel A. Burkhardt was elected to the board.
Maritz joined the board in 2007 and serves on the executive and finance committees. He is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Maritz, Inc., the fourth generation of his family to lead the company.
Morley joined the board in 2005, chairs the audit committee, and serves on the executive, finance and sustainability committees. Most recently, Morley was senior vice president, Corporate Strategy at Monsanto Company, retiring in October 2009.
Burkhardt retired from Edward Jones in 2005 to devote more time to Oakwood Medical Investors, a venture capital firm focusing on mid-stage medical and pharmaceutical investment that he co-created, and to the vineyard he owns in Marthasville, Mo.
