Alexis Herman, a member of MGM Resorts International’s Board of Directors and former Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton, died last week at the age of 77.
Herman was chair and CEO of New Ventures LLC, a corporate consulting company, since 2001 and chair of the Toyota Advisory Board.
Herman served as the first Black U.S. Labor Secretary from 1997 to 2001 and was a member of the Board of Trustees at both the National Urban League and Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago University. She was also president of the Dorothy I. Height Education Foundation and co-chair of the Presidential Leadership Scholars Initiative.
“Alexis was an incredible woman and a tireless champion of our company and our culture, helping to ground every board deliberation with her compassion, sound judgment, and valuable business expertise,” MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle said in a statement. “She was always so generous with her time, providing individual career mentorship to me and many other leaders at MGM and throughout the community.
“As a public servant, she will always be remembered for her hard work to secure low unemployment, safer work conditions, and a global standard for child labor, opening doors for individual pursuits and advancement of livelihood,” Hornbuckle said. “Her life’s work touched so many.”
Chairman of the Board Paul Salem posted a statement on LinkedIn, saying Herman built a distinguished professional career rooted in service to her communities and country, most notably serving as the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Labor.
“From the day we met, I was continually impressed by her astute judgment, relentless focus on achieving the right outcome, and resolute commitment to advancing equality and building a strong corporate culture at MGM Resorts,” Salem said. “Over the years, Alexis actively sponsored, mentored, and coached many employees at MGM. Her vibrant presence and positive influence were deeply felt through her participation on our Board, at our company, and in local community events.
“Alexis was a tireless champion of the underserved and touched the lives of millions worldwide,” Salem said. “She was a joy to work with, and we were lucky to benefit from her kindness, wisdom and integrity.”
During her career, Herman served as the former lead director and chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee and member of the Technology Committee, Finance Committee, and Executive Committee of Cummins Inc. from 2001 to 2022.
Herman was the former director and member of the Personnel Committee and member of the Corporate Governance Committee of Entergy Corp. from 2003 to 2023.
She was also former director and member of the Compensation Committee and chair of the Public Issues and Diversity Review Committee of the Coca-Cola Company from 2007 to 2024.
