Sara Lee

Sara Lee Corporation, based in Downers Grove, Illinois, U.S., is a food and beverage company selling internationally. Known for its frozen cheesecakes, it also makes, for example, Earth Grains bread, Senseo coffee, and Ball Park, Hillshire Farms, and Jimmy Dean meats. It also makes body care products but is no longer in the clothing business. Sara Lee also sells to restaurants and cafeterias such as in schools and hospitals.


 * Former CEO - John H. Bryan

Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council
Sara Lee Corporation has been a corporate funder of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). See ALEC Corporations for more.

Food Companies Face U.S. Probe Over Iraq Deals
In 2007, Sara Lee, along with other U.S. food companies such as ConAgra, came under federal investigation for possible fraud and corruption in the selling of food for personnel in the Iraq war. Both the Justice Department and Defense Department investigators are looking into whether excessively high prices were charged. The food companies hire former U.S. military procurement officials as consultants and executives.

Lobbying
Sara Lee spent $208,000 for lobbying in 2006. KPMG and The Duberstein Group lobbying firms were used.

Personnel
Key executives and 2007 pay:
 * Brenda C. Barnes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, $8,692,394
 * L.M. de Kool (Theo de Kool), Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
 * Christopher J. Fraleigh, Chief Executive Officer, Sara Lee Food & Beverage, $2,114,088
 * Roderick A. Palmore, General Counsel and Secretary, $3,085,185

Selected members of the Board of Directors:


 * Brenda C. Barnes : Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Director since 2004
 * Christopher B. Begley : Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer, Hospira, Inc., Director since 2006
 * Virgis W. Colbert : Retired Executive Vice President, Miller Brewing Company, Director since 2006
 * James S. Crown : President, Henry Crown and Company, Director since 1998; Serves on the boards of General Dynamics Corporation and JPMorgan Chase
 * Laurette T. Koellner : President, Boeing International, Director since 2003; Senior Vice President of The Boeing Company, was business manager for the Tomahawk Cruise Missile Program
 * Cees J.A. van Lede : Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Akzo Nobel N.V., Director since 2002
 * Ian Prosser : Retired Chairman, InterContinental Hotels Group plc, Director since 2004
 * Rozanne L. Ridgway : Former Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs, Director since 1992; Director of The Boeing Company, Manpower, Inc., 3M Company
 * Norman R. Sorensen : Chief Executive Officer, Principal International, Inc, Director since 2007
 * Jeffrey W. Ubben : Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, ValueAct Capital, Director since 2008
 * Jonathan P. Ward : Chairman, Chicago Office & Managing Director, Investment Banking, Lazard Ltd., Director since 2005

Contact details
3500 Lacey Road Downers Grove, IL 60515 Phone: 630-598-8100 Fax: 630-598-8482 Web: http://www.saralee.com

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Judith Sprieser - former CFO
 * Nathan Cummings Foundation
 * Processed food industry
 * Hunger Project - funder
 * Steven Stanbrook
 * Paul Arthur Allaire - former board member
 * Willie D. Davis - former board member
 * Paul W. McCracken - former board member
 * Crandall Bowles
 * John Swearingen - former board member
 * John McAdam - board member

External resources

 * Profile: Sara Lee Co-op America, accessed December 2007.