Kenneth I. Chenault is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Express Company. Mr. Chenault joined American Express in 1981 as Director of Strategic Planning. In 1989, he was named President of the Consumer Card Group. In 1993, Mr. Chenault was promoted to President of American Express Travel Related Services (TRS) in the United States, with responsibility for the Consumer Card Group, Consumer Financial Services, Travel Services Group and Establishment Services. He was named Vice Chairman of American Express Company in January 1995, and assumed additional responsibility for TRS International in April of that year. In February 1997, Mr. Chenault was named President and Chief Operating Officer. He assumed his current responsibilities as CEO on January 1, 2001 and as Chairman on April 23, 2001.

Prior to joining American Express, Mr. Chenault was a management consultant with Bain & Co., from August 1979 to September 1981. Mr. Chenault serves on the boards of American Express Company, IBM, the National Academy Foundation, the Partnership for New York City, the New York University School of Medicine and the NYU Hospitals Center, and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health. Mr. Chenault has received numerous awards from a wide variety of civic, social service and community organizations, as well as a number of honorary degrees. He holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA in History from Bowdoin College. Mr. Chenault and his wife, Kathryn, live in New York State with their two children.

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/17/news/newsmakers/Ken_Chenault.fortune/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote