Washington, DC — The board of directors of the Washington-based Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) elected W. Frank Fountain as its new Chairman. Mr. Fountain is the Senior Vice President, Government Affairs for DaimlerChrysler A.G. and the President of the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund. He previously served as CCA's Vice-chairman.
Mr. Fountain leads DaimlerChrysler's interface with state and local governments across the country. He directs a staff of government affairs specialists who are responsible for analyzing, developing, and presenting to these units of government all issues that are important to DaimlerChrysler and the auto industry. He also coordinates strategy on issues of interest to other domestic auto industry manufacturers.
In addition, Mr. Fountain oversees DaimlerChrysler's Community Relations efforts and its National Education Programs. He serves as President of the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, the company's philanthropic organization.
CCA President Stephen Hayes praised Mr. Fountain, calling him "one of the most effective and selfless corporate leaders in America. He is a man committed to community development no matter how that community is defined, be it the international community, the academic community or the neighborhoods of Soweto, Detroit or Stuttgart. He is an extraordinary man who brings people together through the nature of his vision and through his concern for people."
Mr. Fountain succeeds James A. Harmon, Chairman and Chief Executive of Harmon & Co. and past chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im). Mr. Harmon remains chairman of the Commission on Capital Flows to Africa, lending his extensive experience in international banking and finance to the organization.
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Mr. Fountain serves on the Boards of Directors of numerous business and professional organizations including Africare, The Wharton School Board of Overseers, Museum of African American History and the Hudson-Webber Foundation. He is the current Vice-chair of the Boards of Directors of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, Citizens Research Council of Michigan and New Detroit, Inc. He serves as chair of the Boards of Hampton University and the Detroit Public Schools Board of Education.
Mr. Fountain received a bachelors degree in history and political science from Hampton University and an MBA from Wharton Graduate School, University of Pennsylvania. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Bengal, India. In addition, Mr. Fountain holds an honorary doctorate of public service degree from Central Michigan University.
The Corporate Council on Africa, established in 1992, is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization of nearly 160 American companies dedicated to strengthening trade and investment ties between the United States and Africa. CCA members represent nearly 85 percent of total U.S. private sector investments in Africa. CCA's website is www.africacncl.org.
