Ervin Shames Biography and Net Worth

Ervin R. Shames is an independent management consultant. A former lecturer on the faculty of the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business from 1997 to 2007, Shames’ distinguished business career includes serving in chairman and chief executive positions in many major corporations. Shames was president and CEO of Borden Inc. from 1993 to 1995, and was elected to its board of directors in 1993. He was president and CEO of the Stride Rite Corp. from 1990 until 1993, and served as chairman of its board of directors from 1992 to 1993. Prior to Stride Rite, Shames served as chairman, president and CEO of Kendall Corp. from 1989 to 1990.

Before joining Kendall, Shames had a 22-year career in the food industry, where he rose to president and CEO of General Foods USA and then to president of Kraft USA. His other positions at General Foods included the presidencies of General Foods International, General Foods Europe and Maxwell House. Shames currently serves as a Director on the boards of RiceTec, the Liechtenstein Foundation and Johnsonville Sausage Co. His board experience also includes serving as director of General Foods; Stride Rite; Borden; First Brands Corp.; Online Resources; aQuantive; and Select Comfort Corp., where he was chairman.

Shames has been and remains active in numerous not-for-profit organizations. He is a Director and former chairman of Western Connecticut Health Network, the state's third largest hospital system. He is a Board Member and former chairman of Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut, and the former chairman of A Better Chance. He was an active board member of North Country Treetops; the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; the Harvard Business School’s Alumni Association; and the Overseers of Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.