Kenneth Chenault was born on the 2nd June 1951, in Mineola, New York State, USA, and is a business executive, almost certainly best known as the CEO and Chairman of American Express since 2001. Chenault’s career started in the mid-1970s.
Have you ever wondered how rich Kenneth Chenault is, as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Chenault’s estimated net worth is as high as $90 million, an amount earned through his successful business career. In addition to being an executive, Chenault has also worked as an associate and consultant in several law firms, all of which improved his wealth.
Ken Chenault Net Worth $90 Million
Kenneth Chenault is a son of dentist Hortenius Chenault – the man who passed the New York State dental exam with the highest score ever recorded – and a mother who was a dental hygienist. Kenneth went to the Waldorf School of Garden City, and later studied at the Bowdoin College, from where he graduated with a BA degree in history in 1973. Chenault then went on to study for and receive a J .D. from Harvard Law School, in 1976.
He started working as an associate at Rogers & Wells law firm, and stayed there from 1977 to 1979 before moving to Bain & Company where he served as a consultant until 1981. That year Kenneth joined American Express’ Strategic Planning Group, and over the next 16 years he worked his way up in the company before becoming the president and chief operating officer in 1997. Of course his salary increased commensurately, as did his net worth.
Since 2001, Ken has served as the CEO and Chairman of American Express – becoming just the third black American to rise to CEO of a Fortune 500 company – which helped him to become a multi-millionaire and increased his net worth significantly. According to the official records, Chenault earned around $50 million in 2007 and around $42 million in 2008, so his net worth may be underestimated a little.
Besides American Express, Kenneth serves as a co-chair of the Business Roundtable, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and as a director at IBM. His status is such that he has given commencement addresses at Howard University, Wake Forest University, and Northeastern University during recent years.
Regarding his personal life, Kenneth Chenault has been married to Kathryn since 1977, and has two sons with her: Kevin and Kenneth Jr. Kathryn and Kenneth currently live in New Rochelle, New York. His hobbies are skiing and golf, and he has been a member of the Westchester Country Club since 1990.
Chenault and his wife are well-known philanthropists, and the Old North Foundation recognized him with a Third Lantern Award for his dedication and commitment to public service.
