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DEL.ICIO.USAfter 26 years, John Clendenin retires from Equifax’s board; fellow director Jackie Ward reflects on life, career
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
John Clendenin, BellSouth’s retired CEO, has served on Equifax’s board longer than he has on any other board. But, as of today’s annual meeting, Clendenin is stepping down after 26 years on the board of the information services company.
Clendenin, 73, already had agreed to stay on beyond the normal retirement age of 70, and his term was scheduled to retire two years from now.
But Clendenin felt it was time to leave.
“I’m way over the retirement age,” he said after the meeting before running to catch a plane.
When thanking him for his service to Equifax, CEO Rick Smith said Clendenin had mentored his fellow board members and “tolerated five different CEOs and chairmen.”
In three weeks, Clendenin said he will step down from Kroger’s board, where he’s been since 1986. According to the Equifax proxy, he continues to serve on the boards of Home Depot, Acuity Brands and Powerwave Technologies.
Before leaving, Clendenin said he was leaving the company in good hands.
“I think Rick is doing a terrific job,” Clendenin said. “And the company has a top-notched talent pool.”
The company currently is reviewing possible candidates to fill Clendenin’s spot on the board. Incidentally, the company has not had a black director since Louis Sullivan, former president of the Morehouse School of Medicine, stepped down several years ago.
Meanwhile, legendary woman executive Jackie Ward, who has been on Equifax’s board since 1999, told friends that she now has a great-granddaughter as of four weeks ago.
“She’s a real doll, but she’s mean as a snake,” Ward laughed. Asked how it felt to be a great-grandmother, Ward said: “There aren’t any differences except you have a new little life out there.”
Ward, retired CEO of Computer Generation, still spends most of her time traveling on business. She serves on the boards of Bank of America, Flowers Foods Inc., Sanmina-SCI Corp., SYSCO Corp. and WellPoint Inc.
When people ask her if she’s ever going to retire, Ward, 69, will answer: “I don’t know how.”
There’s some other news in her life. Her husband, Lee Davis, 41, became a professional race car driver six months ago. He is part of the KONI circuit and is with the Kinetic team.
Asked if she attends his races, Ward said: “I’ve been to one.”
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