Three Outstanding Women to Receive McDonald's® Prestigious 365Black™ Awards For Lifetime Achievements

Three outstanding African- American women will receive McDonald's® prestigious 2005 365Black™ Award for their lifetime achievements in business and public service. Dignitaries from across the country will gather to acknowledge the lifetime achievements of McDonald's owner/operator, Frances R. Jones; Ingrid Saunders Jones, senior vice president, The Coca-Cola Company and chairperson of The Coca-Cola Foundation; and congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) at McDonald's 3rd Annual 365Black Awards: An Evening of Legends & Legacies.

The celebration, hosted by National Public Radio personality Ed Gordon of News and Notes, will take place Tuesday evening, September 20, at the National Museum of Women in the Arts Museum in Washington, DC. The Lifetime Achievement Awards are a key component of McDonald's 365Black initiative, created to celebrate the pride, heritage and achievements of African- Americans.

"We are honored to have this opportunity to recognize three incredible women who've been instrumental in shaping American history," said Ralph Alvarez, president, McDonald's North America. "McDonald's is committed to 365Black and proud to be part of the pride, achievement and heritage that defines African-American communities across the country."

Frances R. Jones, a single mother, was the first African-American woman to serve as president of the National Black McDonald's Operators Association - an association of more than 350 African-American McDonald's franchisee owners. Prior to McDonald's, Frances became United Airlines first African-American Supervisor of Stewardess Services and later United's first African-American Personnel Advisor. Frances is an active board member of Ronald McDonald's Children's Charities, the Austin Metropolitan Business Resource Center, and the People Assisting the Homeless organization. Frances opened her first McDonald's restaurant in Ojai, California in 1984 and currently owns four McDonald's restaurants.

Ingrid Saunders Jones, Senior Vice President of The Coca-Cola Company and Chairperson of The Coca-Cola Foundation, directs the vision and involvement of The Coca-Cola Company in community, philanthropic and civic affairs. Ms. Jones' philanthropy is demonstrated personally and through The Coca-Cola Foundation, which has contributed more than $180 million to education including scholarships and programs for students of color in higher education.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters, (D-CA) is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (109th Congress), represents the 35th District of California, which includes South Central Los Angeles, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale and the community of Westchester. For more than 25 years as a public servant, Maxine Waters led the charge in confronting controversial issues facing women, children, people of color and the impoverished in the U.S. and the world.

McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. More than 80 percent of McDonald's 13,700 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local franchisees. For more information about McDonald's visit www.mcdonalds.com .

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SOURCE: McDonald's USA, LLC

CONTACT: William Whitman of McDonald's USA, +1-630-623-6745,
william.whitman@mcd.com , or Denise Whitley Smith of Burrell Communications,
+1-312-297-9780, dsmith@burrell.com

Web site: http://www.mcdonalds.com/