McDonald’s chairman and CEO, Jim Cantalupo, died yesterday of an apparent heart attack while attending a company meeting for restaurant owners and operators in Orlando, FL. He was 60 years old.

Jim Cantalupo

The company’s COO and president, Charlie Bell, 43, has been named to replace Cantalupo as CEO. He also retains the president’s title. Andrew J. McKenna, the board’s presiding director has been elected as non-executive chairman of the board.

Cantalupo, a former vice chairman and president of the company, was brought back to McDonald’s in January 2003, when the company was struggling to cope with falling profit in a saturated hamburger market, outbreaks of mad cow disease and poor service. He was widely credited with heading the company’s turnaround by focusing on improving operations and menu offerings. New items like entrée-sized salads and all-white meat Chicken Nuggets helped McDonald’s post the highest sales gain in 30 years in the U.S.

“It is with great sadness that I announce that Jim Cantalupo, our chairman and CEO, died suddenly and unexpectedly of an apparent heart attack this morning in Orlando, FL, site of the McDonald’s Worldwide Owner/Operator Convention,” McKenna said in a statement.

Cantalupo has been with McDonald’s for 30 years, starting as a controller. Bell started work for the QSR at age 15 as a part-time crew member. At 19, he was the company’s youngest store manager for a location in Australia, a VP at age 27 and a board member by the time he was 29.

In other news, McDonald’s last week unveiled a balanced lifestyles multi-year platform focusing on children and adults to promote the importance of balance that includes efforts in the areas of food choices, physical activity and education.

The platform will include initiatives like the national launch of the Go Active Adult Happy Meal; new Happy Meal choices including Apple Dippers and 1% milk; new ordering options allowing customers to order burgers and other sandwiches ‘low-carb style,’ without the buns; and a Simple Steps brochure that shows customers how to order lower fat, calorie and carbohydrate selections.

McDonald’s will also provide nutrition information on Happy Meals, on tray liners and in-restaurant. McDonald’s and You Nutrition Facts brochures and www.mcdonalds.com will also feature additional information about eating healthy.

In reaching children, the QSR has reallocated a significant amount of children’s retail marketing messaging to programming about health, education and development. This includes the What’s on Your Plate program, featuring Willie Munchright. The program focuses on physical activity and making the right food choices and is featured in schools across the country. Originally launched in 1992, the program has been updated to reflect current nutritional knowledge.

McDonald’s chairman and CEO, Jim Cantalupo, died yesterday of an apparent heart attack while attending a company meeting for restaurant owners and operators in Orlando, FL. He was 60 years old.

Jim Cantalupo

The company’s COO and president, Charlie Bell, 43, has been named to replace Cantalupo as CEO. He also retains the president’s title. Andrew J. McKenna, the board’s presiding director has been elected as non-executive chairman of the board.

Cantalupo, a former vice chairman and president of the company, was brought back to McDonald’s in January 2003, when the company was struggling to cope with falling profit in a saturated hamburger market, outbreaks of mad cow disease and poor service. He was widely credited with heading the company’s turnaround by focusing on improving operations and menu offerings. New items like entrée-sized salads and all-white meat Chicken Nuggets helped McDonald’s post the highest sales gain in 30 years in the U.S.

“It is with great sadness that I announce that Jim Cantalupo, our chairman and CEO, died suddenly and unexpectedly of an apparent heart attack this morning in Orlando, FL, site of the McDonald’s Worldwide Owner/Operator Convention,” McKenna said in a statement.

Cantalupo has been with McDonald’s for 30 years, starting as a controller. Bell started work for the QSR at age 15 as a part-time crew member. At 19, he was the company’s youngest store manager for a location in Australia, a VP at age 27 and a board member by the time he was 29.

In other news, McDonald’s last week unveiled a balanced lifestyles multi-year platform focusing on children and adults to promote the importance of balance that includes efforts in the areas of food choices, physical activity and education.

The platform will include initiatives like the national launch of the Go Active Adult Happy Meal; new Happy Meal choices including Apple Dippers and 1% milk; new ordering options allowing customers to order burgers and other sandwiches ‘low-carb style,’ without the buns; and a Simple Steps brochure that shows customers how to order lower fat, calorie and carbohydrate selections.

McDonald’s will also provide nutrition information on Happy Meals, on tray liners and in-restaurant. McDonald’s and You Nutrition Facts brochures and www.mcdonalds.com will also feature additional information about eating healthy.

In reaching children, the QSR has reallocated a significant amount of children’s retail marketing messaging to programming about health, education and development. This includes the What’s on Your Plate program, featuring Willie Munchright. The program focuses on physical activity and making the right food choices and is featured in schools across the country. Originally launched in 1992, the program has been updated to reflect current nutritional knowledge.