Regina Bynote Jones serves as the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE:ADM), a Fortune 50 multinational agriculture, nutrition and commodity services company, based in Chicago, IL (USA).

Jones oversees ADM’s global Legal, Government Relations, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs and Global Security Operations. Jones joined ADM in September 2023.

Prior to joining ADM, she served as the Chief Legal Officer for Baker Hughes, a global leader in the energy technology sector. For the last three decades, Jones has held global roles in complex legal and technology environments including assignments based in Europe, Southeast Asia and across the United States. For the first 10 years of her career, she led high-performing teams in the Information Technology space and has remained abreast of complex technology domains – including cybersecurity and AI.

Jones currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Manufacturers. She has previously served on Boards of Directors for South Texas College of Law, the March of Dimes (Houston), Girl Scouts (Houston), Child Advocates and the State Bar of Texas.

Jones earned her Bachelor of Business Administration, General Business from Sam Houston State University, and her Doctor of Jurisprudence from South Texas College of Law with an emphasis in computer and technology law.

Regina has extensive governance experience working with Boards of Directors at ADM, Baker Hughes and Delek. She has brought strategic value to CEOs and Executive Committees throughout her career. She has obtained certifications in Cyber-risk Management (NACD), ESG (University of California – Berkeley), and International Finance (IMD – Lausanne, Switzerland).

The William H. Avery Award was established by the Legal Aid Society (LAS) of Metropolitan Family Services in 1985 in memory of William H. Avery, former partner of Sidley Austin LLP, to recognize and encourage outstanding leadership in the provision of legal aid to those persons unable to afford or retain an attorney.

Originally given only to Legal Aid Society volunteers, donors, and staff, recognition through the award has since expanded outside the LAS community to honor those who have made an outstanding contribution to the legal community and to equal justice.

William H. Avery served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of both the Legal Aid Society and of Metropolitan Family Services, and chair of the Legal Services Committee of the Chicago Bar Association. Among Avery’s many accomplishments, he authored the “Avery Plan”, a Chicago Bar Association dues check-off program for legal services support which is still in effect.

The Legal Aid Society pioneered the concept of equal access to justice over 125 years ago. LAS provides critical legal services to low-income families in the Chicago area, protecting them in cases of domestic violence, elder abuse, housing consumer and anti-trafficking issues. Today LAS serves more than 19,000 families and individuals each year.

 

Recent William H. Avery Award Honorees:

2024: TransUnion and Heather Russell – Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

2023: Hope D. Mehlman – Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Discover Financial Services

2022: Laura J. Schumacher – Vice Chairman, External Affairs and Chief Legal Officer, AbbVie

2021: Sean Martin – Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Baxter International

2020: Hubert Allen – Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Abbott

2019: Jerry Krulewitch – Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, McDonalds Corporation

2018: Brett J. Hart – Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, United

2017: Elena Kraus – Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Walgreens

2016: Susan C. Levy – Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Northern Trust

2015: Anne Pramaggiore – President and CEO, ComEd

2014: D. Cameron Findlay – Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Archer Daniels Midland

2013: Kelly McNamara Corley – Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Discover Financial Services

2012: Paulette Dodson – Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, PetSmart