Ray Kroc, Harry Sonnenborn, June Martino, Don Conley & Fred Turner - 1960
In 1948 June Martino became Ray Kroc's (founder of McDonald's Restaurants) bookkeeper. She rose to Corporate Secretary, Director and part owner of the corporation.
June Martino was the glue that held the early McDonald's organization together. Her keen insight into people brought some of the company's early talent into the fold and she earned the unofficial title of "Vice President of Equilibrium" and the affectionate nickname, "Mother".
Martino played a critically important role in balancing the diverse viewpoints of McDonald's strong minded managers, especially Ray Kroc and his partner Harry Sonnenborn who found themselves at odds over the direction of the business.
In the early days she even opened up her home to struggling franchisees who were visiting the MacDonald's corporate headquarters in Chicago. She always had time for others.
As John Love described in his book Behind the Arches - "Simply put, Martino was a den mother to McDonald's young managers. And while she got little formal recognition from that role, it made her perhaps the only universally liked executive in McDonald's".
Ray Kroc himself fully appreciated Martino's key role in the company and her loyalty in working long hours for little pay in the early years. He rewarded her with an equity interest in the company.
When McDonald's went public in 1965, Martino cashed in $300,000 of her holdings - today's value approximately $1.7 million. Her remaining holdings at that time were worth $5 million - today's value approximately $28 million. June Martino became the first women to be a guest in the all-male NYSE directors dining room since Queen Elizabeth.
Martino retired from McDonald's in 1968 but continued to serve as an Honorary Director of the McDonald's board until her death.
I worked for McDonald's and was at the Chicago head office in 1977 and saw her honorary seat in the boardroom.
This remarkable woman came from humble beginnings and though virtually unknown outside of the McDonald's organization, achieved "Her Personal Best"!
June Martino was the glue that held the early McDonald's organization together. Her keen insight into people brought some of the company's early talent into the fold and she earned the unofficial title of "Vice President of Equilibrium" and the affectionate nickname, "Mother".
Martino played a critically important role in balancing the diverse viewpoints of McDonald's strong minded managers, especially Ray Kroc and his partner Harry Sonnenborn who found themselves at odds over the direction of the business.
In the early days she even opened up her home to struggling franchisees who were visiting the MacDonald's corporate headquarters in Chicago. She always had time for others.
As John Love described in his book Behind the Arches - "Simply put, Martino was a den mother to McDonald's young managers. And while she got little formal recognition from that role, it made her perhaps the only universally liked executive in McDonald's".
Ray Kroc himself fully appreciated Martino's key role in the company and her loyalty in working long hours for little pay in the early years. He rewarded her with an equity interest in the company.
When McDonald's went public in 1965, Martino cashed in $300,000 of her holdings - today's value approximately $1.7 million. Her remaining holdings at that time were worth $5 million - today's value approximately $28 million. June Martino became the first women to be a guest in the all-male NYSE directors dining room since Queen Elizabeth.
Martino retired from McDonald's in 1968 but continued to serve as an Honorary Director of the McDonald's board until her death.
I worked for McDonald's and was at the Chicago head office in 1977 and saw her honorary seat in the boardroom.
This remarkable woman came from humble beginnings and though virtually unknown outside of the McDonald's organization, achieved "Her Personal Best"!
hello. i love this post. i am curious...did you work with June Martino?
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