Jack’s Bio
Jack Huston recently retired as Senior Vice President, Chief of Staff of the Colgate-Palmolive Company, where he provided counsel to three CEOs and their senior executive teams, and served as executive liaison to the Board of Directors.
His more than two decades' leadership experience in Colgate's C-suite involved formulating strategy across wide ranging areas including global business strategy, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, and enterprise risk management. He served as the executive in charge of crisis management, leading internal teams dealing with reputational risk and engagement external stakeholders including NGO’s. As Chief of Staff, he focused intensively on ensuring executive team effectiveness. Jack served as Colgate's senior global communications leader for over 20 years, providing communications counsel to the CEO, coaching senior leaders and guiding internal and external communcations.
In his capacity as Board liaison, Jack played a critical role in supporting the Board’s work, planning and implementing board meetings in consultation with the Chairman, Lead Director and Committee Chairs, with a special focus on strategy and risk management.. He guided a multi-year process of Board refreshment, on-boarded new directors and instituted a program of continuing education.. He had deep involvement in the Board’s confidential processes for leadership succession planning, two CEO transitions and annual self evaluation process.
Jack joined Colgate to oversee planning and redevelopment of a surplus, 40-acre waterfront manufacturing site in Jersey City, NJ.. He subsequently took on global real estate responsibilities, helping to attain value from other surplus assets, facilitate business expansion, and reduce real estate operating costs.
A graduate of Yale University, Jack received a master's degree in City and Regional Planning from Harvard. HiHe began his career in public policy roles for the New Jersey Governor's Office and the New York City Planning Department.
His deep commitment to volunteer service is reflected in previous non-profit Board and coaching roles with Youth, Inc., providing capacity-building support to small non-profits, and Crossroads Community Services, Inc., dedicated to alleviating hunger and homelessness. He recently helped found Greater Trenton, focused on economic development in NJ's capitol city. He and his wife raised five children and now reside in Manhattan.