MINNEAPOLIS: General Mills has named Mary Lynn Carver as CCO and VP of global corporate communications.
Carver began the role on December 1 and reports to Kim Nelson, General Mills’ SVP of external relations. Carver has succeeded Tom Forsythe, who is retiring. The transition between Forsythe and Carver will be complete early next year.
In the role, Carver now leads General Mills’ global external, internal, and brand communications functions, and manages corporate brand initiatives. She oversees roughly 25 people.
"To be part of such an iconic company and to help them create the General Mills story for the next generation attracted me to the role," said Carver. "It is a great team, everyone here has been smart and thoughtful about what they do. It is an opportunity to have a fresh set of eyes and perspective in to shepherd the brand through the next generation."
For the past four years, Carver has served as SVP of communications and public affairs, and CCO for the University of Maryland Medical System. Previously, she was EVP, strategic comms and PR for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and before that she spent nearly ten years in various senior comms positions at AstraZeneca.
In terms of why she left the healthcare PR sector, Carver explained that taking consumer behavior and a customer-centric comms approach that builds trust and understanding translates well across business sectors.
"Food is at the heart of health, so it is a space I have worked in for more than 20 years," Carver said. "So I’m looking forward to translating those learnings into a new industry."
In 2013, Carver was inducted as a member of The Arthur W. Page Society.
