Reatha Clark King
Personal Information
Born: 1938
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: Black
Education
Clark College BS Chemistry & Mathematics 1958; University of Chicago MS Chemistry 1960, PhD Thermochemistry 1963; Columbia University MBA Financial Management 1977
Professional Life
Field of Study: Chemistry; businesswoman
Institution/Corporation: General Mills; CUNY York College; Metropolitan State University; NASA
Degrees & Memberships: Honorary Degrees: holds 14 including Empire State College, Marymount Manhattan College, Smith College, William-Mitchell College of Law; Member: served on Boards of ExxonMobile, Wells Fargo & Co, Dept 56, Minnesota Mutual Insurance Company, H.B. Fuller Co, International Trachoma Initiative, Allina Health, Council on Foundations, National Association of Corporate Directors, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation; Trustee of Clark Atlanta University; Life Trustee of University of Chicago; American Council on Education; Executive Leadership Council in DC
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 1958-1960, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship; Meritorious Publication Award, for paper on Fluoride Flame Calorimetry; 2004, National Association of Corporate Directors, Director of the Year; Defender of Democracy Award, Washington D.C. MLK Jr National Memorial Project Foundation Inc; 1984, Exceptional Black Scientist Award, CIBA-GEIGY Corp; 1996, International Adult & Continuing Education Hall of Fame; 1992, Ebony magazine Top 50 Black Executives list; Lifetime Achievement in Philanthropy Award, National Center for Black Philanthropy; 1988, Twin Citian, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota; 2019, The Governor s Civil Rights Legend Award; 2013, International Citizen Award, International Leadership Institute; 2004, Louis W. Hill, Jr Fellow in Philanthropy; 2020, May Lee Dayton Catalyst for Change Award
Achievements: Former vice president of General Mills Corp; former president, executive director & chairman of trustees of General Mills Foundation, a philanthropic foundation of General Mills, Inc
Former Vice President at General Mills
Her father was a share-cropper & her mother only had a 3rd grade education
Began school in a 1-room school for grades 1-7 at a colored church
Originally a home ec major before switching to chemistry
1st African-American chemist employed at the National Bureau of Standards in D.C.
The techniques & methods she developed for flame fluorine calorimetry are still used today by NASA
Has a strong interest in education & promotes equal education for all