Frank L. Sims

Frank L. Sims headshot

Former Chairman and Interim President of Fisk University

Expertise

Frank L. Sims most recently served as the Chairman of the Board for the Atlanta Pension Fund, a pension fund that provides retirement benefits to the full-time permanent employees of the City of Atlanta. Mr. Sims’ areas of expertise include corporate governance, enterprise leadership, financial expertise, human resources, risk assessment/management, and strategy formation/execution. He also served as Chairman of the Board at Fisk University and Interim President at the University from 2015 to 2017 and 2021 to 2023. Prior to that, he served as the Corporate Vice President and Platform Leader at Cargill, Inc. from 2002 to 2007, where he led major strategic business segments both in the United States and internationally. Mr. Sims also served as President of Cargill’s North American Grain Business, where he was responsible for the oversight and management of a $6 billion annual operation with 3,000 employees.

Mr. Sims currently serves on the Board of South Jersey Industries, Inc. Previously, he served as a board member for PolyMet Mining Co. from 2008 through July 2014 and for Piper Jaffray Co. from 2004 to June 2013, as well as Chairman of the Board for the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank from 2002 to 2008. Other previous board and related experience include service on the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, the Chicago Board of Trade (15-year membership), the Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee (Vice Chairman), the North American Export Grain Association (Chairman), Tennant Co., and South Jersey Gas Co.

Community Service

Mr. Sims currently serves as an Institutional Director at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). He previously served as a member of the non-profit boards of United Theological Seminary (Minnesota); PACT, Inc; Forum for Theological Exploration (Atlanta, GA), the National Center For Civil & Human Rights, Inc., and Scholarship America, Inc.

Education

Mr. Sims is a 1972 graduate of Paul Quinn College where he earned his B.A. in business administration, cum laude. The college honored him with an honorary doctorate in 2013. Mr. Sims also holds a Certificate of Executive Management from Harvard University.