Donald J. Franceschini, MBA
Former Vice Chairman, sara Lee Corporation, and CEO Personal Products (retired)
Chairman Emeritus, Delaware Innovation Fund

Donald J. Franceschini retired as Vice Chairman and a Director of the Sara Lee Corporation (NYSE:SLE).  He had global responsibity as CEO for the $7.5 billion Personal Products line of businesses, which included such brands as Hanes, Champion, Coach, Bali, Leggs, Dim, Wonderbra, Filodoro, and a number of international brands marketed in 26 countries.  Additionally, he oversaw the corporation’s legal and human resources functions.  Prior to joining Sara Lee in 1991, he was one of three partners who acquired Playtex in the $1.25 billion leveraged buyout and subsequently served as President of Playtex Apparel.

Sara Lee acquired Playtex Apparel in 1991, and Franceschini was named Chief Executive Officer of Playtex Apparel.  In 1992 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sara Lee Intimates and Vice President of the corporation.  He was named Senior Vice President in 1993, with responsibility for Sara Lee intimates, accessories, and personal products – Europe.  In January 1994, Franceschini was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Sara Lee Personal Products, and later that year he was elected Executive Vice President and a member of the board of directors.  During his period as CEO from 1994-1998, Sara Lee Personal Product sales increased by $1 billion, operating profits increased by $200 million and ROI improved by 30%.

Mr. Franceschini is an active member in the entrepreneurial community and is an investor in and has served on the Board of Directors of companies including Foxfire Printing and Packaging, Market Data Insite, Lluminari and Delta Galil.  He is also an investor in Innovation Ventures and serves on its Advisory Board and served as chairman of the Delaware Innovation Fund.

An active member of his community, Mr. Franceschini has served as a member of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, the Board of Trustees of Rush Presbyterian – St. Luke’s Medical Center and the Board of Trustees of Christiana Care Hospital System.  He was also on the Board of Visitors of Wake Forest University, and served as Past President of the Delaware American Institute of Industrial Engineers.

He has a long list of speaking engagements to national groups on topics such as: “The Global Marketplace”, “Managing Change”, “Global Dynamics of the Apparel Market”, “Positioning Your Company on a Slow Growth Economy”, “Competing in the Global Economy”, “Product Branding”, “The Business Growth Imperative”, “Managing the Supply Chain”, and “Start Up Company Do’s and Don’ts”.

Mr. Franceschini earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from Temple University in Philadelphia.