Printable Biography of Shannon McFayden

Ms. McFayden joined Wachovia in 1982.  Currently she provides leadership to Human Resources, Community Relations and Corporate Communications.  She reports directly to Wachovia CEO Ken Thompson and serves on the company’s Operating Committee.  Ms. McFayden provides oversight to all of the company’s merger integration efforts, including the recent Golden West transaction that is Wachovia’s largest merger to date, and co-leads a high-visibility plan to reduce annual expenses by $1 billion, including cross-organizational process improvement, outsourcing and off-shoring and revamping the project approval and implementation process.  She also oversees the company’s strategic focus on leadership, management, diversity, employee engagement and inclusion.

Previously, Ms. McFayden managed the company’s philanthropic giving and employee involvement programs.  She led the cultural integration for the Wachovia/First Union merger and the creation of the company’s core values.  Ms. McFayden directed Human Resources Client Services, including relationship teams, compensation, diversity, training and organizational development.  She headed Human Resources for Florida during the company’s aggressive acquisition period when more than 30 mergers were consummated.  She also managed college recruiting.

Ms. McFayden’s awards and achievements include being named one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking by US Banker.  She led the development of Wachovia’s national partnerships with the NAACP and the UNCF.  She was the recipient of the United Negro College Fund’s “Maya Angelou Women Who Lead” award.  Ms. McFayden initiated Wachovia’s national partnership with Teach For America, the corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit two years to teaching in underserved schools across the country.  She led the development of the Wachovia Teachers & Teaching initiative, which provides funding to organizations that enhance teacher recruitment, development, support and retention, with the goal of increasing student achievement.  She also led the creation of WachoivaVolunteers!, an employee-driven community involvement network that supports and enhances employee volunteer initiatives.  In addition, Ms. McFayden led the creation of the Wachovia Employees Care Fund (WE Care Fund), a relief fund built by employee contributions, designed to provide emergency grants to employees experiencing personal hardships.
Ms. McFayden is a graduate of Davidson College with a B.A. in Psychology.