Coca-Cola HR Chief to Resign

The woman tapped to head Coca-Cola Co.’s human resources department four years ago as the company grappled with a costly racial discrimination suit is resigning, leaving only one black female in a senior vice president position or higher at the beverage giant.

A search is underway to find a replacement for Coretha Rushing, 47, who will remain with the world’s largest beverage maker until her successor is named. Rushing joined Coke from Pizza Hut in April 1996.

Coke general counsel Deval Patrick said in a memo to employees Monday that Rushing is leaving the Atlanta-based company “to pursue other interests.” On Tuesday, a spokesman refused to elaborate, saying only that she was leaving for personal reasons. A call to Rushing’s office was not returned.

In March 2000, Rushing was appointed head of the company’s human resources department. In that role, she helped to settle a race discrimination class-action lawsuit involving current and former black employees that resulted in Coke agreeing to pay $192.5 million.

With Rushing’s departure, Ingrid Saunders Jones, senior vice president of corporate external affairs and chairwoman of Coke’s charitable foundation, will be the only black female senior vice president or higher at the company, a spokesman said.

As of Sept. 30, only 18.9% of Coke’s salaried executives in the United States were minorities, a December report said.

Coke shares fell 23 cents to $52.17 on the New York Stock Exchange.