Kenneth Chenault

Chenault, who is of African American heritage, was born in Mineola, New York. His mother, Anne N. Quick Chenault, was a dental hygienist, and his father, Dr. Hortenius Chenault, was a dentist, who graduated from Morehouse College and Howard University College of Dentistry, and passed the New York State dental exam with the highest score ever recorded as of January 2014.

He attended the Waldorf School of Garden City, where he was senior class president. He received a B.A. in history from Bowdoin College in 1973. After Bowdoin, Chenault attended Harvard Law School, where he received his J.D. in 1976.

Chenault began his career as an associate at the law firm Rogers & Wells (1977–1979) in New York City, and as a consultant for Bain & Company (1979–1981).

American Express

Chenault worked 37 years at American Express, a financial services corporation and bank holding company. He joined the company in 1981, working in its Strategic Planning Group. He became president and chief operating officer in 1997. He became CEO of American Express in 2001.

As CEO of American Express in 2007 and 2008, Chenault earned a total compensation of $50,126,585 and $42,752,461 respectively. In 2009, he earned a total compensation of $16,617,639, which included a base salary of $1,201,923, a cash bonus of $10,450,000, an option grant of $3,985,637, and other compensation worth $980,079. In 2016, Chenault earned a total compensation of $22 million.

On November 15, 2010, Old North Foundation recognized Chenault with its Third Lantern Award for individual commitment and dedication to public service. The Foundation honored Chenault and American Express for their significant contributions to the preservation efforts of many significant monuments and landmark structures, including the steeple of the Old North Church.

On October 18, 2017, he announced that he would retire as its chairman and chief executive on February 1, 2018. He was succeeded by Stephen J. Squeri.

Chenault and his family reside in New York City.

Chenault and wife, Kathryn, are founding donors to the Art for Justice Fund, which aims to reduce prison populations and strengthen employment opportunities for those leaving.