Dennis Dowdell, Jr., has been named Vice President, Human Resources, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He comes to the Center from The Executive Leadership Council in Washington, DC, a not-for-profit corporation composed of senior African-American executives serving in Fortune 500 companies. As executive director of the Council's Institute for Leadership Development & Research, he was involved in creating leadership development initiatives, research, and strategic plans focused on developing diverse senior and executive corporate leaders, board members, corporate diversity, and related business issues.
Previously, Mr. Dowdell held positions as president of The National Association of Black Automotive Suppliers; vice president of Human Resources for the Longaberger Company; and corporate vice president, Human Resources for Henry Ford Health System (HFHS). At HFHS he led a 100-person staff responsible for employment, recruitment, training and development, benefits, compensation, human resources information technology, regulatory affairs, succession planning, and broad-based initiatives in organizational development and change. During eight years as an attorney with the US Department of Labor, Mr. Dowdell focused on legislative and legal issues related to employee benefits, equal pay, age discrimination, occupational safety and health matters, and other labor statutes.
Mr. Dowdell holds a law degree from Cleveland State University College of Law and is licensed to practice law in several states and before several US Courts of Appeals, and has had cases argued before the US Supreme Court. He earned his bachelor's degree in education cum laude at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from that institution. He has served on several national boards, including nonprofit organizations, and as vice chairman of The National Alzheimer's Association.
