Wanda Austin is replacing Former Vice President Al Gore on Apple’s board after him serving as a director for 21 years. James Bell, the former chief financial officer at Boeing, is also stepping down from the board.
Both Gore and Bell are retiring from the board because they are now 75, and Apple’s policy forbids board members from being reelected at that age.
Gore has served on Apple’s board since 2003, while Bell has been a board member since 2015. Austin, who is 69, was the president and CEO of Aerospace Corporation from 2008 through 2016. She was the first woman and African American person to run the company
They will be replaced by former Aerospace CEO Wanda Austin, pending a shareholder vote at Apple’s annual shareholder meeting next month. Gore and Bell both earned about $380,000 in cash and stock awards last year as Apple’s board members.
Wanda Austin’s Background and Experience
Wanda Austin’s appointment to Apple’s board of directors highlights her impressive background in both engineering and management, making her a suitable candidate to replace Al Gore and James Bell on the board
Austin has an extensive background and experience in both engineering and academic administration. Here are some highlights of her career:
She was born on September 8, 1954, in New York. She graduated from The Bronx High School of Science in 197, and earned her B.S. degree in mathematics from Franklin and Marshall College in 1975.
She went futher and obtained her M.S. degree in systems engineering and mathematics from the University of Pittsburgh in 1977. She later received her Ph.D. from an unspecified institution.
Austin served as the first woman and African-American to lead the University of Southern California (USC) as its interim president. After which she she became the president and CEO of Aerospace Corporation from 2008 through 2016.
Going further, Austin was the first woman and African-American to lead the University of Southern California (USC) as its interim president. Was an internationally recognized aerospace engineer and academic administrator.
Al Gore Leaving Apple Board After 21-Year Run
Over his 21 years with the company, Gore has amassed Apple shares worth more than $87 million. Bell, who has been a board member since 2015, owns Apple stock worth more than $7 million.
Three other members of the top exec team – CFO Luca Maestri, General Counsel Kate Adams and COO Jeff Williams – took home $27 million in 2023, while Retail SVP Deirdre O’Brien was a shade behind them at $26.9 million.
In the cases of Gore and Bell, Apple noted that it has “a longstanding policy that directors generally may not stand for reelection after reaching age 75.” Both have reached the milestone in the past few months.
“We’re deeply grateful to Al and James for their many years of service to Apple — their insights, energy, and values have made us a stronger company in so many ways,” Cook said in a press release. “For more than 20 years, Al has contributed an incredible amount to our work — from his unconditional support for protecting our users’ privacy, to his incomparable knowledge of environment and climate issues. James’s dedication has been extraordinary, and we’re thankful for the important perspectives and deep expertise he’s offered on audit, finance, and so much more over the years.”