Paula Cholmondeley is a member of the Board of Directors of Terex Corporation (NYSE), Bank OZK (NASDAQ) and Lexeo Therapeutics, a gene therapy company.  In her role as an independent director, she has chaired 5 audit committees, as well as a governance committee, and a strategy and corporate social responsibility committee. She has also served on compensation and investment committees. She is a part time member of the faculty of the National Association of Corporate Directors In-Board Room and Board Advisory Services where she teaches and conducts board evaluations. Her previous experience includes serving as an independent trustee of Nationwide Mutual Funds, as well as being a public company Board Member for Dentsply Sirona Corporation, Mineral Technology, Inc.; Ultralife Inc.; Armco Steel Inc.; Albany International, and Kapstone Paper and Packaging.  During her executive career, Ms. Cholmondeley has led divisions with revenues up to $750M, served as CFO of companies with revenues up to $2B.  She has also held seats on numerous non-profit Boards.

In her last executive position, she has served as General Manager of the $450M Specialty Products division of Sappi Fine Paper.  During her tenure, Ms. Cholmondeley divested several non-strategic businesses, refocused on high potential segments, achieved leadership in China and other key Asian markets, and delivered steady profits through a severe economic downturn.

Previously, Ms. Cholmondeley held several leadership roles at Owens-Corning, where she was the company’s first female elected officer.  As General Manager of the $750M residential insulation division, she restored revenue and share growth to this core business.  As President of the Miraflex division, she commercialized a “new to market”, high compression technology to build a $20M specialty business.  Initially recruited to Owens Corning as VP, Strategy & Global Sourcing, she led company-wide strategic planning, M&A, competitive analysis, market research and sourcing. 

At the Faxon Company, a leading provider of computer-based library subscription services, Ms. Cholmondeley served as VP & General Manager of the International Division.  In this role, she established a truly global brand, made the company’s first international acquisitions, and grew sales from $50M to $80M.

At Westinghouse Elevator, Ms. Cholmondeley held several high visibility management roles, including VP of Strategic Planning and Manager of Latin American Operations & International Business Development.  While at Westinghouse, she was also named a White House Fellow, serving for one year as Special Assistant to the US Trade Representative for Southeast Asia.

Ms. Cholmondeley has extensive finance experience includes serving as CFO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Greater Philadelphia, CFO of Zebra Associates (the country’s largest African American ad agency), and interim CFO of Owens-Corning.  Early in her career she also served in numerous finance management roles at International Paper and on the audit staff of Arthur Andersen.

In the non-profit arena, her board experience includes the American Institute of CPAs; Gifts-in-Kind, the largest product-giving charity in the US; the Executive Leadership Council; the National Association of Black Accountants and the Wharton School MBA Program.  She is on the advisory board for “Trewstar” a recruiting firm whose focus is on women directors. She also chairs the Corporate Board Initiative committee for the ELC where her focus in on increasing the number of AA on corporate boards. 

Ms. Cholmondeley is a (non-practicing) CPA.  She holds an MS in accounting from the Wharton School of Finance, and a BS in accounting from Howard University. She is also a NACD Board Leadership Fellow and an NACD Certified Director.   She received Howard University’s Distinguished Alumni in Business Award for 2002; the Wharton Schools’ Kathleen McDonald Distinguished Alumna Award in 1999, the Boston Business Journal Advancing Women Award in 2012; and the NACD Directorship 100 Award in 2015.