McDonald's names new chief diversity officer as it faces charges of racism and harassment

McDonald's has a new chief of diversity and inclusion, who arrives as the fast-food chain navigates charges of racism and harassment.

Reggie Miller, who previously served as vice president of global inclusion and diversity  at VF (parent company of The North Face), will become the restaurant chain's vice president and global chief diversity equity and inclusion officer.

Miller, who will begin work Nov. 9, replaces Wendy Lewis who this summer announced she was retiring Sept. 1.

McDonald's has acknowledged it has work to do when it comes to representing the communities it serves and has pledged to improve inclusion, including franchisees and suppliers.

Last month, three current and former McDonald's workers filed a civil rights suit accusing managers at a local McDonald's of subjecting Black workers to racially derogatory terms and disparate treatment that resulted in them receiving harsher discipline, and fewer hours, than white colleagues. That came after more than 50 Black former franchisees filed suit in September in federal court, alleging the fast-food giant racially discriminated against and denied them the same opportunities as white franchisees. 

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At the top, McDonald's also lacks diversity among the power players who run the company. A USA TODAY investigation found that more than 55 years after the Civil Rights Act, less than 2% of the top executives at the nation’s largest companies are Black.

Of the seven named executive officers listed on McDonald's proxy statement, none were Black. None of the 12 executives listed as members of the leadership team on the company's website were Black either. Two out of 13 of McDonald's board members are Black.

McDonald's global chief people officer Heidi Capozzi said in a note to employees Monday that Miller "will continue to shape our progress toward building a shared vision of growth – as a business and as individuals. I’m confident Reggie will leverage our

strong foundation while bringing outside perspective to our overarching business strategy."

Before joining VF in 2017 as its senior director for global inclusion and diversity, Miller was the director for diversity strategy and support for Walmart, where he worked for a decade. Prior to that, he was a recruiter and diversity and inclusion leader at Tyson Foods. A U.S. Army veteran, Miller served from 1997 to 2005 as supply sergeant in Germany, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

A native of Osceola, Arkansas, Miller graduated from Webster University with a master's degree in business administration, as well as a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Education from the University of Arkansas. 

In fact, his first high school job was at McDonald's where he became a shift manager. "I'm proud to be joining McDonald’s at a time where diverse voices and perspectives are not just celebrated, but engaged in accelerating meaningful change," he said in a note to employees.

Contributing: Jessica Guynn

Follow USA TODAY reporter Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.