NIRI-Chicago Names 2008-2009 Officers and Directors

Business Wire,  June 24, 2008  

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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Chapter of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI-Chicago) announced today that it has elected six officers and seven directors for the 2008-2009 term.

Incoming NIRI-Chicago president Kevin P. Kelly said, "As one of the largest and most dynamic chapters of the National Investor Relations Institute, our aim is to foster a sense of professional community and offer new opportunities for professional education. In a rapidly changing local and national economy, this mission is more important than ever to increasing the stature of the investor relations profession."

Kelly also noted that the Chicago Chapter was recognized recently at the annual NIRI national conference with the Best Communications Award, won jointly with the Virtual Chapter.

The NIRI-Chicago Chapter board for 2008-2009 comprises the following members:

Officers

President: Kevin P. Kelly, managing director, Morrow & Co., LLC. Kelly has served as executive vice president, vice president-programs and chaired the NIRI annual workshop committee for three years.

Executive Vice President: Patricia M. (Patty) Paul, consultant. This is Paul's second year on the NIRI-Chicago board. Paul was co-chair of last year's IR Workshop, the chapter's largest event, and has previously served on the board of NIRI's New York Chapter.

Vice President-Programs: Elizabeth M. Higashi, CFA, Principal, Sard Verbinnen & Co. Higashi has served on the NIRI annual workshop committee for the last three years and has been a moderator and speaker at the NIRI annual conference and regional workshops. This is Higashi's first year on the board.

Vice President-Treasurer: Christine J. Hanneman, vice president, investor relations at Pactiv Corporation [NYSE: PTV]. This is Hanneman's sixth year as vice president-treasurer for the chapter.

Vice President-Membership: Steven P. Eschbach, CFA, vice president, investor relations, Integrys Energy Group, Inc. He is the past president of the NIRI Rocky Mountain Chapter (2001) and past president of the NIRI Connecticut/Westchester Chapter (2006-2007). This is his first year on the Chicago board.

Vice President-Communications: Maryellen T. Thielen, ABC, consultant. This is Thielen's third year serving NIRI-Chicago as vice president of the chapter's communications. Thielen is an Accredited Business Communicator (ABC), a designation awarded by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) to practitioners who have met global standards for strategic communications management.

Directors

Chairman: Ruth E. Venning, manager, investor relations, Hospira, Inc. [NYSE: HSP]. Venning previously served as president, executive vice president, vice president-programs and vice president-communications. Before that, she served as chair of the NIRI-Chicago workshop.

Director: Joan L. Bates, director, investor relations, DeVry Inc. [NYSE: DV]. During her 15-year career in investor relations, Bates has held senior IR positions with Navigant Consulting and Great Lakes REIT as well as DeVry. This is her third year as a director.

Director: Steven D. Carr, managing director, Dresner Corporate Services Inc., a leading strategic communications firm. Carr was previously chairman of the board, president, executive vice president and director of NIRI-Chicago.

Director: William D. Chapman, director, investor relations, W.W. Grainger, Inc. [NYSE: GWW]. Chapman previously has served as chairman, president, executive vice president, vice president-programs and as a director of the chapter.

Director: Lisa I. Ciota, director, investor relations, McDonald's Corp. [NYSE: MCD]. This is Ciota's fourth year as a director.

Director: William H. Pfund, vice president, investor relations, WMS Industries Incorporated [NYSE: WMS]. This is Pfund's first year as a director.

Director: David A. Prichard, vice president, investor relations and corporate communications, Corn Products International, Inc. [NYSE: CPO]. Prichard previously has served as chairman, president, executive vice president, vice president-programs and vice president-treasurer, as well as a director of the chapter. Prichard also serves on the board of NIRI at the national level.

Departing Officers and Directors

The chapter officers and directors extend their gratitude to the following for their efforts and many contributions to the chapter:

Director: Thomas J. Laughran, senior vice president and partner, Fleishman-Hillard Inc. Laughran has been a director for two years, and has served as chairperson of the Midwest Annual Report Awards Competition since 2003.

Director: William H. Parke, director, corporate marketing and financial communications, CME Group Inc. [NYSE, NASDAQ: CME]. Parke has served NIRI-Chicago in several capacities, including president of the chapter and chairman of the board. Both Parke and Laughran will serve on a newly formed advisory board for NIRI-Chicago. The purpose of the advisory board is to provide a platform for continued participation for board of directors members emeritus, allowing them to continue their involvement and provide leadership continuity on a non-voting basis.