Welcome to the board: diversification personified.

• Position: Leadership in Environmental Initiatives

A recent report from Heidrick & Struggles, the international executive search firm, shows that 59% of public Fortune 1000 companies have at least one woman and/or minority member on its board of directors. The report states that the number of woman directors has increased steadily since 1987, with an increase of 35% in the past five years, and projects continued growth, with another 30% increase by the year 2000. The report indicated that minority directorships have remained virtually static for the past five years but projects an increase by the end of the decade. Highlighted below are several women and minority executives who have been elected to boards in this year's third quarter.

Helen O. Petrauskas was appointed to the board of Sherwin-Williams Co., Cleveland, Ohio. She is vice president-environmental and safety engineering for Ford Motor Co. and coordinates Ford's safety, fuel economy, and environmental protection planning and is its principal spokesperson on these issues. She also serves on the boards of MCN Corp. and Clean Sites Inc.

Carolyn H. Baldwin was elected to the board of NWL Cos., Minneapolis, and its principal subsidiary, Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. Baldwin is president of Coca-Cola Financial Corp., which makes loans and leases to bottlers and other customers of Coca-Cola Co. worldwide. She also participates on several worldwide strategic negotiating teams on behalf of Coca-Cola Co. She joined Coca-Cola in 1977 as a senior financial analyst in strategic planning for the United States.

Clifford L. Alexander Jr. has joined the board of American Home Products Corp., New York. Alexander is president of Alexander and Associates Inc., a private consulting firm that provides advice in the area of work force inclusiveness. He was secretary of the Army from 1977 to 1981, chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1967 to 1969, a special consultant to Lyndon B. Johnson on civil rights, and an attorney with two Washington law firms. He also serves on the boards of MCI Communications Corp., Dun and Bradstreet Corp., Equitable Resources Inc., several Dreyfus funds, and Mutual of America Life Insurance Co.

Victoria J. Tschinkel was elected to the board of Phillips Petroleum Co., Bartlesville, Okla. She is senior consultant for environmental issues at the law firm of Landers & Parsons in Tallahassee, Fla., where she represents a wide range of clients before state and federal agencies and the Florida...