• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, July 6, 2017

In the run-up to the long July 4 weekend, when nobody was paying attention, Interpublic disclosed it had appointed a new board member—Lee Wyatt Jr., who was CFO at Fortune Brands Home & Security until July 1. He will remain with that company as an EVP until his retirement later this year. 

Wyatt helped orchestrate the spinoff of FBH&S from Fortune Brands back in 2011. For his efforts, he’s been well compensated. Last year alone, he raked in about $5.6 million in total compensation, according to the firm’s latest proxy statement. 

But Wyatt has received something much more valuable than monetary reward.

Financial Executives International (Chicago Branch) named him CFO of the Year (Large companies) back in 2014. OK, it’s probably not as valuable as the money he’s raked in, but it’s an award. And we all know how much the agency world covets awards, right Arthur? (I’m still betting that no matter what you say now, I’ll see you and your Publicis posse next year at Cannes!) 

Wyatt seems like a pretty decent guy judging from his down-to-earth acceptance speech at the 2014 FEI Chicago awards gala. He noted that he’s not a limelight kind of person, but the organization made it “painless to some extent” to commit to the evening and accept the award. 

He even cracked wise about his CEO boss, who he said couldn’t make it to the event because he was “out buying sports cars.” Just before the quip, he noted how the company’s stock had risen from $12 at its debut to about $42 per share at the time of his speech. 

He also had the good sense to thank his wife, after noting he’d “probably be in trouble if I didn’t.” Lee, you probably shoulda left that last part out, but whatever. 

Anyway, Wyatt becomes the 10th IPG board member, nine of whom are independent. He will serve on the Audit and Corporate Governance Committees.

Earlier, he was CFO at Hanesbrands Inc.