• September 25, 2007

Kendall J. Powell has been named CEO of General Mills, succeeding Steve Sanger, who will continue as chairman through the end of the fiscal year ending in May. Powell, 53, joined the company in 1979 and was most recently president/CEO.

Powell has held a variety of general management assignments over his 28-year career with General Mills, including president of the Yoplait Division from 1996 to 1997; president of Big G Cereals from 1997 to 1999; and CEO of the company's Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW) joint venture with Nestle based in Switzerland from 1999 to 2004. Powell was named an EVP of General Mills in 2004 and was appointed COO/U.S. Retail in 2005. He was named president/CEO in June 2006.

--Nina M. Lentini