Denise Morrison

Denise M. Morrison (née Sullivan; born January 13, 1954) is an American business executive who served as president and chief executive officer of Campbell Soup Company from 2011 through 2018. Named the "21st Most Powerful Woman in Business" by Fortune magazine in 2011, Morrison was elected a director of Campbell in October 2010. She became Campbell's 12th leader in the company's 140-year history. Morrison retired from Campbell in May 2018.

Early life Morrison was born and raised in the Elberon section of Long Branch, New Jersey. She is one of four sisters who have all had business careers. The "Sullivan Sisters" were featured in a 2007 article in The Wall Street Journal titled "Raising Women to Be Leaders." Denise is the first-born; Maggie Wilderotter was chairman and CEO of Frontier Communications; Colleen Bastkowski was a regional vice president of sales at Expedia Corporate Travel; and Andrea Doelling, a champion horse jumper, was senior vice president of sales at AT&T Wireless. Their father Dennis B. Sullivan—a Korean War veteran and AT&T executive—wanted to share everything he knew about business with his daughters. He reportedly talked with them while they were still in grade school about setting profit-margin goals. Their mother, Connie Sullivan, taught them that ambition is a part of femininity. Campbell's fiscal year runs from August 1 to July 31.

Board service

Morrison is a former director of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and a former director of Ballard Power Systems Inc. She is a founding member of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, an initiative composed of manufacturers and retailers designed to combat obesity in the marketplace, workplace, and in schools through communication and education. She is also on the non-profit board of Students in Free Enterprise.

Additionally, she serves on the board of the Grocery Manufacturers Association and is the chair of its Health and Wellness Committee. Morrison is also on the board of the Consumer Goods Forum.

She became a member of MetLife's board of directors in 2014.

She is the former chair of Catalyst's Advisory Board and former President of the N.J. Women's Forum, and has served on the Board of the Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger and Leadership California.

Awards

In 2011, Forbes named Morrison the 80th most powerful woman in the world.

Morrison was also named the "21st Most Powerful Woman in Business" by Fortune. Morrison was also recognized by Fortune as one of the "Most Powerful Women" in 2012, 2013, and in 2017.

Morrison has also received the Power 50, Supermarket News 2011; "Woman of Distinction" American Heart Association of New Jersey, 2010; One of the 50 Most Influential Irish Women, Irish Voice 2010; Trailblazer Award; "Top Woman in Grocery," Progressive Grocer magazine, 2008, 2009, and 2010; One of the Top 50 Women in Business in the State of N.J., NJBIZ magazine, 2008; One of the Top 50 Women to Watch, The Wall Street Journal, 2007; "Aiming High Award" by Legal Momentum, 2007; and Garden State "Woman of the Year" for Corporations, Garden State Women magazine, 2007.

Personal life

Morrison lives in Princeton, New Jersey, with her husband, Tom, and has two grown daughters.