Skip to main content
  • Foundation
  • Executive network
  • CEO Circle
  • SHRM Business
  • Linkage Logo
  • Store
  • Sign In
  • Account
    • My Account
    • Logout
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
SHRM
About
Book a Speaker
Join Today
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
  • Membership
  • Certification
    Certification

    Smiling asian student studying in library with laptop books doing online research for coursework, making notes for essay homework assignment, online education e-learning concept
    Get Certified!

    Be recognized as an HR leader with your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.

    • How to Get Certified

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations. No other HR certification compares.

      • How to Get Certified
      • Eligibility Criteria
      • Exam Details and Fees
      • SHRM-CP
      • SHRM-SCP
      • Which Certification is Best for Me
      • Certification FAQs
    • Prepare for the Exam

      Give yourself the best chance to pass your SHRM certification exam.

      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      • Study Aids & Add-ons
    • Recertification

      Recertify your SHRM Credentials before your end date!

      • Specialty Credentials
      • Qualifications
      Certification Portal
  • Topics & Tools
    Topics & Tools

    Stay up to date with workplace news and leverage our vast library of resources to streamline day-to-day HR tasks.

    The white house in washington, dc.
    Executive Order Impact Zone

    Do not abandon, but evaluate and evolve. It is about legal, equal opportunity for all.

    • News & Trends

      Follow breaking news and emerging workplace trends.

      Legal & Compliance

      Stay informed on workplace legal updates and their impacts.

      From the Workplace

      Explore diverse perspectives from your peers on today's workplaces.

      Flagships

      Get curated collections of podcasts, videos, articles, and more produced by SHRM.

    • HR Topics
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Civility at Work
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Inclusion & Diversity
      • Talent Acquisition
      • Workplace Technology
      • Workplace Violence Prevention
      SEE ALL
      SHRM Research
    • Tools & Samples

      Access member resources and tools to streamline HR tasks.

      • Forms & Checklists
      • How-To Guides
      • Interactive Tools
      • Job Descriptions
      • Policies
      • Toolkits
      SEE ALL
      Ask an Advisor
  • Events & Education
    Events & Education

    SHRM25 in San Diego, June 29 - July 2, 2025
    Join us for SHRM25 in San Diego

    Register for the World’s Largest HR Conference being held on June 29 - July 2, 2025

    • Events
      • SHRM25
      • The AI+HI Project 2025
      • INCLUSION 2025
      • Talent 2026
      • Linkage Institute 2025
      SEE ALL
      Webinars
    • Educational Programs

      Designed and delivered by HR experts to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to drive lasting change in the workplace.

      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance credibility among peers and employers.

      Qualifications

      Gain a deeper understanding and develop critical skills.

    • Team Training & Development

      Customized training programs unique to your organization’s needs.

  • Business Solutions
  • Advocacy
    Advocacy

    Make your voice heard on public policy issues impacting the workplace.

    Advocacy
    SHRM's President & CEO testifies to Congress on "The State of American Education"
    • Policy Areas
      • Workforce Development
      • Workplace Inclusion
      • Workplace Flexibility & Leave
      • Workplace Governance
      • Workplace Health Care
      • Workplace Immigration
      State Affairs

      SHRM advances policy solutions in state legislatures nationwide.

      Global Policy

      SHRM is the go-to for global HR leaders and businesses on workplace matters.

    • Advocacy Team (A-Team)

      SHRM’s A-Team is a key member benefit, giving you the tools, insights, and opportunities to shape workplace policy and drive real impact.

      Take Action

      Urge lawmakers to support policies that create lasting, positive change.

      Advocacy & Legislative Resources

      Access SHRM’s curated policy materials and content.

    • SHRM-Led Coalitions
      • Generation Cares
      • The Section 127 Coalition
      • Learn More & Partner with SHRM Government Affairs
  • Community
    Community

    Woman raising hand in group
    Find a SHRM Chapter

    Easily find a local professional or student chapter in your area.

    • Chapters

      Find local connections from over 607 chapters and state councils and create your personalized HR network.

      SHRM Connect

      Post polls, get crowdsourced answers to your questions and network with other HR professionals online.

      SHRM Northern California

      Join SHRM members in the greater San Francisco Bay area for local events and networking.

    • Membership Councils

      Learn about SHRM's five regional councils and the Membership Advisory Council (MAC).

      • Membership Advisory Council
      • Regional Councils
    • Volunteers

      Learn about volunteer opportunities with SHRM.

      • Volunteer Leader Resource Center
Close
  • Membership
  • Certification
    back
    Certification
    Smiling asian student studying in library with laptop books doing online research for coursework, making notes for essay homework assignment, online education e-learning concept
    Get Certified!

    Be recognized as an HR leader with your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.

    • How to Get Certified

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations. No other HR certification compares.

      • How to Get Certified
      • Eligibility Criteria
      • Exam Details and Fees
      • SHRM-CP
      • SHRM-SCP
      • Which Certification is Best for Me
      • Certification FAQs
    • Prepare for the Exam

      Give yourself the best chance to pass your SHRM certification exam.

      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      • Study Aids & Add-ons
    • Recertification

      Recertify your SHRM Credentials before your end date!

      • Specialty Credentials
      • Qualifications
      Certification Portal
  • Topics & Tools
    back
    Topics & Tools

    Stay up to date with workplace news and leverage our vast library of resources to streamline day-to-day HR tasks.

    The white house in washington, dc.
    Executive Order Impact Zone

    Do not abandon, but evaluate and evolve. It is about legal, equal opportunity for all.

    • News & Trends

      Follow breaking news and emerging workplace trends.

      Legal & Compliance

      Stay informed on workplace legal updates and their impacts.

      From the Workplace

      Explore diverse perspectives from your peers on today's workplaces.

      Flagships

      Get curated collections of podcasts, videos, articles, and more produced by SHRM.

    • HR Topics
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Civility at Work
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Inclusion & Diversity
      • Talent Acquisition
      • Workplace Technology
      • Workplace Violence Prevention
      SEE ALL
      SHRM Research
    • Tools & Samples

      Access member resources and tools to streamline HR tasks.

      • Forms & Checklists
      • How-To Guides
      • Interactive Tools
      • Job Descriptions
      • Policies
      • Toolkits
      SEE ALL
      Ask an Advisor
  • Events & Education
    back
    Events & Education
    SHRM25 in San Diego, June 29 - July 2, 2025
    Join us for SHRM25 in San Diego

    Register for the World’s Largest HR Conference being held on June 29 - July 2, 2025

    • Events
      • SHRM25
      • The AI+HI Project 2025
      • INCLUSION 2025
      • Talent 2026
      • Linkage Institute 2025
      SEE ALL
      Webinars
    • Educational Programs

      Designed and delivered by HR experts to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to drive lasting change in the workplace.

      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance credibility among peers and employers.

      Qualifications

      Gain a deeper understanding and develop critical skills.

    • Team Training & Development

      Customized training programs unique to your organization’s needs.

  • Business Solutions
  • Advocacy
    back
    Advocacy

    Make your voice heard on public policy issues impacting the workplace.

    Advocacy
    SHRM's President & CEO testifies to Congress on "The State of American Education"
    • Policy Areas
      • Workforce Development
      • Workplace Inclusion
      • Workplace Flexibility & Leave
      • Workplace Governance
      • Workplace Health Care
      • Workplace Immigration
      State Affairs

      SHRM advances policy solutions in state legislatures nationwide.

      Global Policy

      SHRM is the go-to for global HR leaders and businesses on workplace matters.

    • Advocacy Team (A-Team)

      SHRM’s A-Team is a key member benefit, giving you the tools, insights, and opportunities to shape workplace policy and drive real impact.

      Take Action

      Urge lawmakers to support policies that create lasting, positive change.

      Advocacy & Legislative Resources

      Access SHRM’s curated policy materials and content.

    • SHRM-Led Coalitions
      • Generation Cares
      • The Section 127 Coalition
      • Learn More & Partner with SHRM Government Affairs
  • Community
    back
    Community
    Woman raising hand in group
    Find a SHRM Chapter

    Easily find a local professional or student chapter in your area.

    • Chapters

      Find local connections from over 607 chapters and state councils and create your personalized HR network.

      SHRM Connect

      Post polls, get crowdsourced answers to your questions and network with other HR professionals online.

      SHRM Northern California

      Join SHRM members in the greater San Francisco Bay area for local events and networking.

    • Membership Councils

      Learn about SHRM's five regional councils and the Membership Advisory Council (MAC).

      • Membership Advisory Council
      • Regional Councils
    • Volunteers

      Learn about volunteer opportunities with SHRM.

      • Volunteer Leader Resource Center
Join Today
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
  • Store
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
  • About
  • Book a Speaker
  • Foundation
  • Executive network
  • CEO Circle
  • SHRM Business
  • Linkage Logo
SHRM
Sign In
  • Account
    • My Account
    • Logout
Close

  1. Topics & Tools
  2. Workplace News & Trends
  3. HR Magazine
  4. She's Still Lovin' It!
Share
  • Linked In
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus convallis sem tellus, vitae egestas felis vestibule ut.


Error message details.

Copy button
Reuse Permissions

Request permission to republish or redistribute SHRM content and materials.


Learn More
Feature

She's Still Lovin' It!

McDonald's global chief diversity officer has built an impressive career at the fast-food giant by embracing change.

December 1, 2006 | Ann Pomeroy

HR Magazine, December 2006

Patricia Harris, vice president of McDonald’s USA and global chief diversity officer of McDonald’s Corp., was still in college when she took a secretarial position at McDonald’s. “I’ll stay here until I finish school and get a real job,” she told herself.

Thirty years later, she’s still there. Far from being the exclusive province of short-term fast-food jobs, McDonald’s offers “lots of ‘real’ jobs and lots of career paths,” she says. “We have hamburger lawyers, hamburger accountants and hamburger HR people.”

While Harris didn’t start out behind the counter, many top managers did, she says—including McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner and the three U.S. division presidents. And many, like Harris, have long tenures with the company. “Things change so much at McDonald’s,” she says, “and I learn something new with every change.”

The Road from McBee to McDonalds

The youngest of 11 children, Harris is “a proud South Carolinian” who grew up in the small town of McBee. After she graduated from high school at 16, however, the big city beckoned, and she was eager to follow her older sisters to New York.

In New York, Harris found a job as an administrative assistant and attended college classes part time, as she tried to “find myself,” she says. After she met and married a man from Chicago, they moved there and she enrolled in classes at Roosevelt University.

In 1976, Harris heard about an opening in the legal department at McDonald’s. Working there first in a secretarial position, she discovered her true calling when a job opened up in the HR department and she was offered a compensation analyst position.

“It was just one of those wonderful things—being in the right place at the right time in the right company,” she says. After three years in compensation, she moved into an HR generalist position and thoroughly enjoyed that as well. “I was an HR generalist for six or seven years, and I would have been happy to stay in that role. I knew by then that I wanted to be an HR professional.”

Harris continued to attend school part time while she worked, completing a degree in public administration and personnel administration in 1979. “I was never a full-time student” but was determined to get a degree. “Today, I tell people, ‘Yes, you can get that degree.’ ”

A Passion for Diversity

In 1985, Harris was offered the position of affirmative action manager, an opportunity that once again changed the course of her career.

She was apprehensive at first. Although interested, Harris wasn’t sure she could do the job. In addition, “I knew affirmative action wasn’t a popular topic.” The affirmative action department was new, having been established in 1980, and it was seen as the “police,” she says, coming in to enforce the rules. She wondered if this would be a wise career move.

Ultimately, however, she decided to “step out of my comfort zone” and take the risk, with the encouragement of her boss, Mel Hobson, McDonald’s first director of affirmative action.

By the end of the 1980s, the work of the department had expanded. Partnerships were developed with external organizations, and affirmative action moved out of HR and became its own stand-alone unit. At the same time, the name was changed, from affirmative action to diversity.

Although the department was no longer part of HR, it continued to have a strong relationship with human resources. “I don’t know how diversity people can do their job without HR’s support,” she says.

Looking back, Harris says that taking that risk in 1985 turned out to be the best decision she has ever made. “This job truly became my passion. It’s who I am, both personally and professionally.”

Nurturing Employee Networks

When I joined the company in 1976, I think we had one female officer, one Asian officer and one African-American officer. There were no Hispanic officers, says Harris. Today, of McDonalds 200 U.S. officers, 26 percent are women and 23 percent are minorities.

Harris is particularly proud that McDonalds received an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Freedom to Compete Award this year in recognition of the companys diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The EEOC specifically cited McDonalds employee networks, which include the African-American Council, the Hispanic Employee Network, the Asian Employee Network, the Womens Leadership Network (which is global now) and the Gays, Lesbians and Allies at McDonalds. Each group provides networking opportunities for its members and offers an avenue for sharing ideas with management.

Harris still remembers the first networking meetings she attended as a new employee. Those early sessions were somewhat ad hoc and casual, she says, but they started becoming more formal in the early 1980s.

Were in a different place today, says Harris, and the networks are continuing to evolve. They offer seminars on career management and leadership skills development as well as provide opportunities to network and to share best practices.

While the early groups focused more on social aspects of networking, the primary focus today is on the business. Each network has a diversity goal and a plan that complements the organizations customer-centric approach to business. To prevent silos among the networks, cross-functional teams of network leaders share information and ideas.

Asked which career achievement gives her the greatest satisfaction, Harris says she is most proud of her work with the employee networks and with the companys diversity education program.

Last year, McDonalds recognized Harris work by creating the Pat Harris Diversity Awardonly the third time in 50 years that an award was named for an employee. Given for the first time in 2006, the new award goes to the McDonalds officer each year who has achieved the highest results in meeting his or her departments diversity goals.

One Foot Back in HR

Earlier this year, Harris was promoted to global chief diversity officer, and she has already begun to meet with HR leaders from McDonald’s country areas around the world to enlist their help in ensuring that diversity reaches all levels of the organization across the globe. “Diversity has so many dimensions,” she says. “It means different things to different countries.” As she takes on this exciting new role, she says happily, “I feel like I’m starting over again, and I love it.”

She has also come full circle, back to HR.

In her new role, Harris will have “one foot in HR” again, reporting to McDonald’s executive vice president for human resources, Rich Floersch, in addition to continuing to report to Jim Johanessen, senior vice president and chief support officer for the U.S. business.

The new relationship makes perfect sense to Floersch, who says it’s critical to have “diversity of thought” built into the organization. “We can make better customer-centric decisions when all points of view are considered.

“Pat is an important part of the HR leadership team,” says Floersch. “She’s very well informed, a true student of diversity. She is good at analyzing U.S. diversity principles and applying them in the international market. She’s also a good listener who understands the business and the culture very well.”

Driven To Succeed

Harris admits to being a workaholic with “ketchup in my veins. They call me Ms. McDonald’s, but I’ve decided that I’m OK with that.”

Harris remembers that she once told Hobson, “I want your job!” He supported her ambitions and gave her some sage career advice: In order to get promoted, Hobson told her, “you need to be recognized by others outside of McDonald’s.” She has taken that advice to heart, collecting multiple awards over the years from the restaurant industry and the Chicago business community. Harris serves on a number of outside boards, which she says “strengthens my ability to do my job at McDonald’s” by helping her build relationships and widen her circle of contacts.

Her longtime friend Jan Fields, president of McDonald’s USA’s Central Division, thinks “driven” is a good word to describe Harris. Fields, who has been at McDonald’s nearly as long as Harris, says, “Pat is a very driven person who is a good role model.” Fields estimates that “Pat probably mentors a thousand people. I call her a mentor myself.”

Not All Work

Despite her enthusiasm for her work, Harris maintains that she does have a life outside the office. She enjoys going to the theater and loves to travel, often taking trips with her 16-year-old granddaughter, Cydnii, including Caribbean cruises.

Harris also is a big fan of tennis and basketball. “I go to the U.S. Open every year,” she says, and she attended the French Open last year.

And family is very important to her. Each year, her family gathers in McBee for a July 4 holiday celebration. She’s already planning next year’s event, which will be the 40th anniversary of the reunions. It’s “similar to a mini-McDonald’s conference,” she laughs.

You Will Not Go Back

Although Harris is not ready for retirement, she has told people for years that she would retire to McBee, when the time came. However, “Maya Angelou pointed out to me that that will never happen,” she says.

She met the poet some years ago when Angelou spoke at a conference Harris attended. As they chatted, Harris learned that Angelou was from North Carolina. Told that Harris was from South Carolina and planned to move back to McBee some day, Angelou proclaimed in that well-known dramatic voice: “No, my dear, you will not go back to stay, but [McBee] will always remain your special village.”

Harris admits that the poet is likely to be right. Meanwhile, that time is still in the future. As Fields says, “There are so many paths at McDonald’s,” and Harris looks forward to exploring her new global path with the company she describes as “the best company in the world.

“I know where my heart is,” she says.

Ann Pomeroy is senior writer for HR Magazine.

Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

​An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.



Related Content

Kelly Dobbs Bunting speaks onstage at SHRM24
(opens in a new tab)
News
Why AI+HI Is Essential to Compliance

HR must always include human intelligence and oversight of AI in decision-making in hiring and firing, a legal expert said at SHRM24. She added that HR can ensure compliance by meeting the strictest AI standards, which will be in Colorado’s upcoming AI law.

(opens in a new tab)
News
A 4-Day Workweek? AI-Fueled Efficiencies Could Make It Happen

The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.

(opens in a new tab)
News
How One Company Uses Digital Tools to Boost Employee Well-Being

Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.

HR Daily Newsletter

Stay up to date with the latest HR news, trends, and expert advice each business day.

Success title

Success caption

Manage Subscriptions
  • About SHRM
  • Careers at SHRM
  • Press Room
  • Contact SHRM
  • Book a SHRM Executive Speaker
  • Advertise with Us
  • Partner with Us
  • Copyright & Permissions
  • Post a Job
  • Find an HR Job
Follow Us
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • SHRM Newsletters
  • Ask An Advisor

© 2025 SHRM. All Rights Reserved

SHRM provides content as a service to its readers and members. It does not offer legal advice, and cannot guarantee the accuracy or suitability of its content for a particular purpose. Disclaimer


  1. Privacy Policy

  2. Terms of Use

  3. Accessibility

Join SHRM for Exclusive Access to Member Content

SHRM Members enjoy unlimited access to articles and exclusive member resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Limit Reached

Get unlimited access to articles and member-exclusive resources.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join to access unlimited articles and member-only resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join the Executive Network and enjoy unlimited content.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join and enjoy unlimited access to SHRM Executive Network Content.

Already a member?
Unlock Your Career with SHRM Membership

Please enjoy this free resource! Join SHRM for unlimited access to exclusive articles and tools.

Already a member?

Your membership is almost expired! Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew now

Your membership has expired. Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew Now

Your Executive Network membership is nearing its expiration. Renew now to maintain access.

Renew Now

Your membership has expired. Renew your Executive Network benefits today.

Renew Now