MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – General Mills jumped to first place in Leadership Excellence magazine’s annual ranking of the “Best in Leadership Development” for its commitment to developing outstanding leaders.

“We’ve always believed that building great brands and great talent go hand-in-hand,” said Kevin Wilde, vice president and chief learning officer for General Mills. “This recognition reinforces our commitment to developing a pipeline of successful leaders who can drive our business forward around the world. We’re honored to be ranked by industry experts as having the top leadership development program in America.”

General Mills offers career-long development opportunities for employees at each stage of their careers, including mentoring, access to leadership experts and speakers, training at the General Mills Institute, tuition reimbursement, and individual development planning.

The company cites its leadership programs as one of the reasons why many talented employees spend their entire careers with the company, growing and developing to achieve their highest potential. Twenty-one percent of General Mills’ U.S. workforce has been with the company more than 20 years, and 85 percent of the company’s current officers were developed and promoted into the role from within the company.

“What General Mills is doing in leadership development corresponds nicely with our seven ranking criteria,” said Ken Shelton, editor of Leadership Excellence since 1984.

Leadership Excellence ranks companies’ leadership development programs according to the following criteria: vision and mission; design, content and curriculum; involvement and participation; measurement and accountability; presenters, presentation and delivery; take-home value; and outreach.

General Mills topped the “Best in Leadership Development” list in the 250 Large Organizations category.

About General Mills
General Mills is one of the world’s leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries.  Its consumer brands include Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Progresso and Old El Paso.  Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2011 net sales of US$14.9 billion.

For more information, contact:

Maerenn Jepsen
General Mills
763-764-6364