Ann Harlan is a Strategic Advisor and Coach at BarkerGilmore with extensive business and legal experience across a variety of industries, including consumer products and manufacturing business segments. Having served as an independent board member for both public and private companies, she is a trusted advisor and strategic partner in the boardroom and the executive suite. Ann is passionate about helping up-and-coming and seasoned legal leaders alike develop and fine-tune their emotional intelligence and optimize their value-add to the business. Likewise, she is committed to the mentorship and professional development of women and diverse lawyers.

Ann currently serves on numerous boards, including as Lead Director for the Gorman Rupp Company (NYSE: GRC), where she also serves on the Compensation Committee. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Oswald Companies, one of the nation’s largest independently owned insurance brokerage and risk advisory firms.

In addition to her corporate board work, Ann is a member of the Board of University Hospitals Health System, serving as Chair of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Executive and Audit Committees. She is also Chair of the Board, Executive Committee, and Nominating and Governance Committee for the First Tee of Cleveland. Moreover, Ann serves on the Advisory Board of The Gates Group Capital Partners and on the Visiting Committee of both the Case Western Reserve University and School of Law, where she is also a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2007.

Most recently, Ann was past Director of Cleveland – Cliffs, Inc (NYSE: CLF), privately owned FLAVORx, Corporation, and Eatem Foods Corporation.

Passionate about the professional development of women, Ann is also a founding member and Co-Chair of the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Women Corporate Directors Foundation and a member of the Board of Advisors for DirectWomen, a non-profit whose mission is to increase the representation of women lawyers on major corporate boards.

Ann earned her B.A. in Government from Skidmore College and her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law where she was inducted into the Order of the Barristers and the Society of the Benchers and currently serves as the organization’s Chair.

Executive Search, Leadership Development, Organizational Strategy, Succession Management

Ann served as Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for The J.M. Smucker Company, a leading marketer and manufacturer of fruit spreads, retail packaged coffee, peanut butter, shortening and oils, ice cream toppings, natural foods products, and pet food in North America. Ann joined Smucker in 1999 and participated in growth to a $5 billion company before her retirement. In her role as General Counsel, Ann was responsible for legal affairs, including selection of outside counsel and other legal service providers. Before joining Smucker, Ann was a partner with a large Midwest-based law firm where her practice focused on mergers and acquisitions.

Industrial, Consumer