As I began my career in national advertising management for several of the major brands of corporate America, one woman stood out as a brand giant herself within that world — the barrier-breaking Ann Fudge. I had few, if any, true mentors or role models in the business, and oh, did I need one! Fresh out of college, the ad agency and brand marketing business I entered was only a couple of generations away from the ad men the acclaimed Mad Men television series is based upon, and the male-dominated and definitely not diverse Madison Avenue world they ruled. I finally met Ann Fudge at a women’s event a few years ago, but as a black American woman who has broken through barriers in the upper echelons and CEO suites of the corporate world, Fudge had been my hero for many years.
Fudge graduated from Simmons College with honors (she married her husband and had their first child while still an undergraduate) and from Harvard Business School. She then quickly rose through the ranks of powerhouse American food manufacturers General Mills and Kraft General Foods, becoming one of the youngest leaders named to the Fortune list of the 50 most powerful women in American business.
Fudge started her career as a marketing assistant at General Mills in 1977 and by 1983 she was a marketing director there. In 1986, she joined Kraft General Foods, where she built a strong reputation for successfully breathing new life into older brands. She set an aggressive timetable of goals early in her career, including becoming general manager of a brand division by the age of 40; she actually achieved that goal in 1991, one year ahead of her schedule. Fudge then rose to presidency of the company’s $5 billion beverages, desserts and post division by 2001. All this before she turned 50!
In 2003, Fudge became CEO of the giant Young & Rubicam Brands, a global group of advertising, communications, public relations, branding, and marketing companies. She also became chair and CEO of Young & Rubicam Advertising, making her the first black woman to head a major American advertising firm.
As a child growing up in Washington, D.C. Fudge witnessed the urban riots after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. “They made me incredibly determined,” Fudge said of the riots. She told the New York Times that “I wanted to do something that black people hadn’t done before. When I hit roadblocks, that was what kept me going.”
In addition to her groundbreaking achievements in the corporate world, she is known for her commitment to her family and personal life. Fudge’s management style is also marked by her philosophy of service to others, within and outside of a corporation. In a leadership profile a few years ago on Fudge in True North, a bestseller on the lives of 125 authentic leaders, Fudge stated,
“Any of us can figure out ways to drive a business for two years and make a boatload of money and move on. That’s not leadership. That’s playing a game. Leadership is leaving something lasting, whether it is how you treat people or how you deal with a problem.” Those words seem especially timely for American business leaders today.
For one of Ann Fudge’s favorite books, Cracking the Corporate Code, chosen for Oprah’s Bookshelf, visit AAUW’s online bookstore at BN.com/aauw.
Interactive map of Ann Fudge’s relationships/contacts
This post is part of a special Women’s History Month series. It was written by Ashley Carr, director of Marketing and Communications at AAUW.
Thanks, Pat. That information was also included in the blog entry. Unfortunately, Ann Fudge has stepped down from both Y&R Brands and Y&R Advertising now. Fortunately, she is continuing work as a member of many major corporate and nonprofit boards.
In 2003, Fudge became CEO of the giant Young & Rubicam Brands, a global group of advertising, communications, public relations, branding, and marketing companies.