We are delighted to introduce J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez, the newest member of our Advisory Board. J.C. brings tremendous business and philanthropic experience to Barco’s Nightingales Foundation and will be a valuable asset as we continue to expand the breadth of our outreach.
~Michael and Frida Donner
Mr. Gonzalez-Mendez served as Senior Vice President, McDonald’s Global Inclusion, Community Engagement and Philanthropy, responsible for coordinating Community Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion, as well as McDonald’s Philanthropic efforts around the world, including Ronald McDonald House Charities, where he served as the President and CEO since 2013.  Previously, he served as SVP/Chief Global CSR Officer (2012-2014), and President of  McDonald’s Latin America (2008-2012), responsible for operations of McDonald’s restaurants in this area of the world, which included over 2,000 restaurants in 29 countries with sales in excess of $5 billion.
J.C. served as Senior Vice President, Chief Supply Chain Officer for North America, where he coordinated food, paper and toy purchases worth more than $10 billion, as well as logistics and distribution for over 15,000 McDonald’s restaurants in the United States and Canada (2005–2008).
Prior to that, he served as Vice President, U.S. Supply Chain Management, where he directed the purchasing and delivery systems for McDonald’s USA (2003-2005). He was also the Vice President/General Manager of the Greater Chicago Region where he oversaw operations in 740 restaurants with sales in excess of $1.4 billion (2002-2003).
A 31-year employee of McDonald’s, J.C. held a number of positions in the U.S. as well as overseas during his career. He served as the Vice President/International Relationship Partner for Latin America where he oversaw the operations in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela (2001-2002).  Prior to that, he served as President of McDonald’s Mexico (1999-2000). He was Managing Director, McDonald’s Mexico (1998-1999) and Vice President of Operations, McDonald’s Mexico (1998).
J.C. served as Director of Operations for the Los Angeles Region, managing 350 restaurants (1996-1998), Operations Manager, Los Angeles Region (1993-1996), and Regional Purchasing Manager, Los Angeles Region, handling purchasing related issues for Los Angeles, San Diego and Hawaii Regions (1990-1993).  He also worked as Senior Quality Assurance Manager for the European and Asian markets (1989-1990) and Quality Assurance Manager for Latin America, (1987-1989).
J.C. started at McDonald’s in 1984 as the first employee for McDonald’s Mexico where he was responsible for developing the sources of supply for the first restaurant that opened in Mexico in 1985.
J.C. has a bachelor’s degree in biochemical engineering with minors in food technology and marine sciences from the Monterrey Institute of Technology, in Mexico; a master’s from the University of Southern California, where he was inducted into The Latino Honor Society and an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters degree from Loyola University in Chicago.
J.C. has served on several Community Boards, including The Mexican American Opportunity Foundation-Los Angeles, Fundación Infantil Ronald McDonald-Mexico, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicago and Northwest Indiana, The People with Disabilities Fund of the Chicago Community Trust, as well as the President’s Advisory Council of the Marianjoy Rehabilitation Center,  The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute at the University of Southern California and the Board of Directors of The Council of The Americas, the Corporate Board of Advisors for the National Council of La Raza (N.C.L.R.), the Ronald McDonald House Charities Latin American Social Responsibility Advisory Council, and most recently served as the President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities (R.M.H.C.) Global. He continues to serve on the Corporate Board of Advisors for the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California
J.C. is fluent in Spanish, English and conversational Portuguese and Italian.  He and his wife, Deborah, live in the western suburbs of Chicago and have three children.