Medifast’s Michael MacDonald, Executive Chairman of the Board, has been named a Board Leadership Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors.
The fellowship is an avenue of professional development for board members such as MacDonald, who became a Medifast director in 1998 and was named executive chairman in 2011. He also led the wellness firm as CEO from February 2012 to October 2016, when direct sales veteran Dan Chard stepped into the role. Medifast does about three-quarters of its business—$273 million in 2015—through direct sales division Take Shape For Life, soon to be Optavia.
“I am honored to join the distinguished and diverse group of individuals who make up the NACD Fellow community and who are committed to advancing the highest standards of boardroom excellence,” MacDonald said in a news release. “The resources, insights, and connections offered through NACD Fellowship will be key assets to Medifast.”
In addition to his board seat at Medifast, MacDonald currently serves as Treasurer of the Direct Selling Association and sits on the board of The V Foundation for Cancer Research. His past board appointments have included PAETEC Communications Inc., where he was lead director, Rutgers University and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
As a credentialed NACD Fellow—whose numbers include directors at Citigroup Inc., DuPont, Microsoft Corp. and others—MacDonald will take part in an ongoing program of study that provides boardroom insights and best practices. Fellows also gain access to a library of proprietary research, professional tools and online resources.
