BURBANK, Calif., November 29, 2006 — Kerry Chandler has been named to the newly created position of senior vice president, Corporate Responsibility for The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), it was announced today by Thomas O. Staggs, senior executive vice president and chief financial officer, The Walt Disney Company, to whom she will report. Chandler will be responsible for developing overall strategy and direction for the Company’s corporate responsibility efforts, including the areas of community outreach, volunteerism, environmental policy and programs, charitable giving and The Walt Disney Company Foundation.
“As Disney continues to increase its focus on all aspects of corporate responsibility, Kerry is an excellent choice to spearhead our efforts through this important new role, having recently led our Hong Kong Disneyland human resources department, and prior to that, ESPN’s global human resources organization,” said Staggs. “Given her impressive professional accomplishments both in the United States and abroad, we will continue to benefit from Kerry’s energy, enthusiasm and experience as she develops and implements a comprehensive, integrated plan for Disney’s philanthropic and corporate responsibility activities.”
In Chandler’s new capacity, she will oversee the operations of Disney’s Worldwide Outreach and Environmental Affairs organizations and The Walt Disney Company Foundation, through which she will be responsible for identifying, developing and implementing all aspects of Disney’s overall global corporate responsibility, ensuring that the Company’s core principles in this area are integrated into the daily operating practices of all Disney businesses, including studio entertainment, parks and resorts, consumer products and media networks. In addition, she will develop Disney’s overall philanthropic and charitable-giving strategy and environmental policies, and expand the Company’s social responsibility best practices.
Prior to assuming her new role at Disney, Chandler served one year as senior vice president of Human Resources at Hong Kong Disneyland, where she was responsible for the overall human resources strategy of Disney’s first theme park in China, including human resources services, compensation and benefits, human resources systems, staffing, and learning and development.
Before moving to Hong Kong, she spent five years at Disney-owned ESPN as the division’s senior vice president of Human Resources. In this capacity, Chandler implemented and enhanced several major initiatives designed to meet the needs of ESPN’s global workforce, including programs related to recruitment, diversity, compensation, and employee retention and communication.
A veteran human resources professional with extensive experience over her 20-year career, Chandler also has worked for a number of high-profile global corporations, such as IBM Global Services, Motorola, Inc., Exxon Chemical Company and McDonnell Douglas Corporation.
Chandler graduated from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri with a B.S. degree in public administration. She later earned her M.A. degree in human resources management from Washington University in St. Louis, as well as a Masters degree in management from McGill University in Montreal.
She also has served on the boards of University of Exeter, Center for Leadership Studies, United Kingdom; the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC); InMotion, an organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of women who are victims of domestic violence; the Cable and Telecommunications Human Resources Association (CTHRA); the Human Resources Policy Institute (HRPI); the Senior Human Resources Forum of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong; and the Asia Pacific Human Resources Council of The Conference Board.
Following Chandler’s transition from Hong Kong back to the United States, she will reside in Los Angeles.