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| Rhonda Ferguson |
"Rhonda was a visionary force and a passionate friend, coach and mentor whose leadership helped ignite Allstate's transformation and create societal impact," the company said in a statement. "We send our love and deepest sympathies to her family."
Ferguson's family posted a notice on LinkedIn Tuesday about her passing, triggering the outpouring of sympathy.
The family's statement said, "Rhonda Smith Ferguson was an exemplary wife, mother, daughter and sister who was cherished by her family and friends. On Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022, she transitioned with her husband, children, parents, siblings and nephews by her side."
The statement said that for the past several years, Ferguson had "courageously battled cancer, winning multiple times and living her life to its absolute fullest throughout. She kept her condition largely private and chose to lean on her faith and family to live precisely the way she wanted."
The family said funeral arrangements have not yet been made and asked that others respect their privacy as they grieve.
By early Tuesday afternoon there were already 66 written comments and 659 other emoji reactions (like, love) from friends and colleagues posted below the family's statement.
Sonya Olds Som, a partner at Heidrick & Struggles in Chicago, commented, "My deepest condolences. Please know how much she meant to so many. We are all here for you, whatever you need."
Rosalind McLeod, chief legal officer at SCL Health in the Denver area, wrote, "Too magnificent to be gone this soon! Such a wonderful person. I will miss you too much to articulate, my dear friend. Here's to wine festivals, both Aspen and Nantucket, snowmobiling, way too much fun at Bootsie Bellows and the Chicken Box. Turks and Caicos. The list goes on and on."
Another comment, from Karen Sealy, a senior corporate counsel at FirstEnergy in Akron, Ohio, said, "Rhonda was a powerhouse wife, mother and businesswoman. She mentored so many of us in the female, black and legal communities. She will be missed. It was a blessing to have known her."
Felice Gray-Kemp, general counsel of CaaStle, a clothing rental business in New York, wrote, "From the moment I met her, I felt embraced by her light … her warmth and generosity of spirit. She will live on in our memories and the kindnesses that we do for others as she did for [us]."
Ferguson was one of the original members of Corporate Counsel Women of Color, a global group of about 4,500 in-house lawyers.
Before joining Allstate in the fall of 2020, she served as executive vice president and chief legal officer for Union Pacific Corp. from 2016 through mid-2020. She previously was vice president and chief ethics officer at First Energy Corp. from 2007 through 2016.
Prior to that, Ferguson served as assistant general counsel and assistant corporate secretary for Ferro Corp. from 2003 through 2007. She joined BakerHostetler LLP as an associate in 1997 and served as a partner from 2002 until 2003. After graduating from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Ferguson began her career as an associate with Thompson Hine LLC in 1994, working there through 1997,
She served on the boards of the RAND Institute for Civil Justice and Girls Inc. of Chicago.
Eight days ago, as corporate secretary, she signed Allstate's annual proxy statements submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in preparation for the company's annual meeting. Just a week ago, she was exchanging comments on LinkedIn with friends and colleagues.
On Tuesday, scores of them were writing to her for the last time.
--Editing by Karin Roberts.
Update: This story has been updated with a comment from Allstate.
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