Board Committees

Chair of the Board = Chair of the Board Presiding Director of the Board = Presiding Director of the Board Committee Chair = Chair Committee Member = Member Independent Director = Independent Director
  Board Audit Compensation Directors and Corporate Governance Finance Public Policy and Compliance Science and Technology
John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D. Chairman of the Board Committee Chair for Board Committee            
Ralph Alvarez Independent Director Member of Board Committee       Member of Finance Committee Member of Public Policy and Compliance Committee  
Ralph Alvarez President and Chief Operating Officer
McDonald's Corporation

Ralph Alvarez is president and chief operating officer of McDonald's Corporation. He was elected to the board of directors of Eli Lilly and Company effective April 1, 2009.

Born in Cuba, he received his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Miami.

Prior to joining McDonald's, he held leadership positions at Burger King Corporation and Wendy's International, Inc. Alvarez joined McDonald's in 1994. He has held a variety of leadership roles throughout his career, including chief operations officer and president of the central division, both with McDonald's USA. Before joining the U.S. business, Alvarez was president of McDonald's Mexico. From July 2004 until January 2005, he was president of McDonald's USA, where he led a team that aligned employees, owner/operators, and suppliers behind the company's "Plan to Win" strategy–the catalyst for the turnaround of the U.S. business. Alvarez served as president of McDonald's North America from January 2005 until August 2006. In this role, he was responsible for all the McDonald's restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. Alvarez became president and chief operating officer in August 2006. He sets the global strategy and directs operations for the nearly 32,000 McDonald's restaurants in 118 countries. He leads the worldwide senior management team as they drive business results to create value for McDonald's and its shareholders.

An active advocate for Ronald McDonald House Charities, Alvarez is a former president of Ronald McDonald House Charities in Mexico. Alvarez serves on the board of McDonald's Corporation. He currently serves on the President's Council and the International Advisory Board of the University of Miami, and he is a member of the board of trustees for Chicago's Field Museum.
Sir Winfried Bischoff Independent Director Member of Board Committee     Member of Directors and Corporate Governance Committee Committee Chair for Finance Committee    
Michael L. Eskew Independent Director Member of Board Committee Committee Chair for Audit Committee Member of Compensation Committee        
Martin S. Feldstein, Ph.D. Independent Director Member of Board Committee Member of Audit Committee     Member of Finance Committee Committee Chair for Public Policy and Compliance Committee  
J. Erik Fyrwald Independent Director Member of Board Committee   Member of Compensation Committee       Member of Science and Technology Committee
Alfred G. Gilman, M.D., Ph.D. Independent Director Member of Board Committee         Member of Public Policy and Compliance Committee Committee Chair for Science and Technology Committee
R. David Hoover Independent Director Member of Board Committee Member of Audit Committee Member of Compensation Committee        
Karen N. Horn, Ph.D. Presiding Director of the Board Independent Director Member of Board Committee   Committee Chair for Compensation Committee Member of Directors and Corporate Governance Committee      
Ellen R. Marram Independent Director Member of Board Committee   Member of Compensation Committee Committee Chair for Directors and Corporate Governance Committee      
Douglas R. Oberhelman Independent Director Member of Board Committee Member of Audit Committee     Member of Finance Committee    
Franklyn G. Prendergast, M.D., Ph.D. Independent Director Member of Board Committee         Member of Public Policy and Compliance Committee Member of Science and Technology Committee
Kathi P. Seifert Independent Director Member of Board Committee Member of Audit Committee       Member of Public Policy and Compliance Committee