J. Veronica Biggins (1946- ) Former Managing Partner of Diversity and Senior Partner at Heidrick & Struggles. Biggins currently serves on the Board of Directors for AirTran Airways and is a Partner with Hodge, Niederer, Cariani & Lindsay (The Hodge Partners).[1][2]
Contents |
Born October 19, 1946 in Belmont, North Carolina to Jacqueline McDonald and university professor Andrew Williams. Biggins and her two brothers attended Catholic schools during their formative years. They also spent two years of elementary school in Indonesia. Her father, also a tennis professional, and a family friend funded several of the early tennis ventures of tennis legend, Arthur Ashe.[3]
At Hodge Partners, Biggins is Managing Partner of the company's Diversity Services Practice and an active member on the Board of Directors and the Global Financial Services Industry Practice. She holds a B.S. degree from Spelman College and a M.A. degree from Georgia State University. Biggins entered the business world as a management trainee at Nations Bank (formerly The Citizens Southern Bank and now Bank of America). During her tenure with National Bank, she became one of the highest-ranking females in banking in the country when she served as Executive Vice President for Corporate Community Relations.[4]
In 1994, Biggins became Director of Presidential Personnel for President William J. Clinton at the White House. Her responsibilities included the placement of agency heads, ambassadors and members of the presidential boards and commissions. In this role, she worked directly with the President of the United States on appointments at all levels of the administration, including the placement of agency heads, ambassadors, and members of presidential boards and commissions.[5]
In 1999, Biggins was named to the Georgia State University Business Hall of Fame for her achievement in business.
Presently, she is Chairman of the Czech Slovak American Enterprise Fund; a member of the International Business Fellows and serves on the boards, Avnet, and NDC Health and as serving on the boards for Georgia Research Alliance, the Woodruff Arts Center, the Downtown Atlanta Rotary, ZEP Inc., and the International Aids Fund. Biggins is also a board member of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company and the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority. She has been on the Board of Directors with AirTran Airways since 2001.[6]
Biggins is married to attorney Franklin Biggins. The couple has two daughters.