Investor Relations Experts Develop and Launch New NIRI Credential

On the eve of launching the historic inaugural examination for its first-ever professional credential, the Investor Relations Charter (IRC℠), the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) wishes to recognize the many dedicated investor relations subject-matter expert volunteers that created the IRC Program.

The new IRC Program not only establishes a common framework to define the profession of investor relations (IR), it likewise provides IR professionals with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, expertise, and commitment to the profession by answering to its highest standard. Even as the first examination commences, candidates may now apply to sit for the second IRC examination, which will take place in September 2016. Program information and applications are available on the NIRI website: www.niri.org/certification.

“The IRC Program represents a major step forward for NIRI and for the profession of IR,” said Felise Kissell, NIRI Board Chair, and Vice President, Investor Relations, HSN, Inc. “On behalf of the Board, the membership, and the IR profession at large, I wish to acknowledge the time, energy, and commitment these volunteers demonstrated as they gave back in a substantial way to our great profession. The decision to create an IR certification was many years in the making, but it simply would never have occurred without the engagement and expertise of our base of volunteers. We look forward to watching the IRC Program grow and it becoming a meaningful standard within investor relations.”

NIRI President and CEO Jim Cudahy commented, “The long list of volunteers who participated in the many processes leading up to the first exam should feel a large measure of pride that tomorrow NIRI will begin administering the IRC exam with nearly 70 applicants sitting for the exam in locations throughout the United States and around the world. As I have traveled the country and the world talking about the IRC Program, I have emphasized that the demand for this program came from the profession itself and it has been led and overseen in all phases by IR practitioners. This includes the development of the Body of Knowledge on which the program is based to the job analysis that was conducted to create that Body of Knowledge and then to the creation of the exam itself and the various processes involved with the development and maintenance. It is a remarkable achievement that only has been possible with significant and selfless contribution of time and energy of volunteers throughout NIRI.”

IRC Subject-Matter Expert Volunteers

• Truitt Allcott, Director, Investor & Media Relations, Owens & Minor
• Don Allen, Partner, The Allen Group
• Remy Bernarda, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Galena Biopharma
• Eric Brielmann, Partner, Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
• Bob Burton, Managing Director, Financial Communication Practice, Lambert, Edwards & Associates
• Geoffrey Buscher, Director, Investor Relations, Expeditors International
• Sally Curley, Senior Vice President of Investor Relations, Cardinal Health
• Alexandra Deignan, Vice President, Investor Relations, Schnitzer Steel Industries
• Matthew Dennis, CFA, Senior Managing Director, Clear Perspective Group
• Mark Donohue, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, Impax Laboratories
• David Dragics, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, CACI International Inc
• Friederike Edelmann, Senior Manager, Investor Relations, Criteo
• David K. Erickson, Vice President, Investor Relations, Edwards Lifesciences
• Steven Esterly, CFA, Director, Ipreo
• Mickey Foster, Vice President, Investor Relations, FedEx Corporation
• Sachin Garg, Assistant Vice President, TAKE Solutions Ltd.
• Barbara Gasper, Group Executive/Executive Vice President of Investor Relations, MasterCard
• Gerry Gould, Vice President, Investor Relations, Haemonetics Corp.
• James Grant, Vice President, Investor Relations, Signet Jewelers
• Anne Guimard, Chief Executive Officer, FINEO Investor Relations Advisors
• Natalie Hairston, Senior Vice President, Dennard - Lascar Associates
• Debbie Hancock, Vice President, Investor Relations, Hasbro
• Joe Hassett, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Gregory FCA
• Elizabeth Higashi, President, Higashi Advisors
• Matthew Hodges, Vice President, Public & Investor Relations, GameStop
• Chris Hodges, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Alpha IR Group
• Tony Hung, Head of Capital Markets and Special Projects, iTutorGroup / vipabc
• Gar Jackson, Founder, Global IR Group
• Marisa Jacobs, Vice President, Investor Relations, Express, Inc.
• Chris Jakubik, Vice President, Investor Relations, Kraft Foods
• Deborah Kelly, Partner, Genesis, Inc.
• Bernard J. Kilkelly, Managing Director, Darrow Associates
• Jenny Kobin, Partner, IR Advisory Solutions
• Heather Kos, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, Ingredion
• Andy Kramer, Vice President, Investor Relations, NetScout Systems
• Gregg Lampf, Vice President, Investor Relations, Ciena
• Miranda Lane, Partner, FinanceTalking
• Sam Levenson, Chief Executive Officer, Arbor Advisory Group
• Keith Mabee, Group President, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, Falls Communications
• Jane McCahon, Vice President, Corporate Relations and Corporate Secretary, TDS
• Jeff Misakian, Vice President, Investor Relations, Wesco Aircraft
• Theresa Molloy, Vice President, Governance & Shareholder Services, Prudential Financial
• Darin Norman, Senior Investor Relations Analyst, Xcel Energy
• John F. Nunziati, Senior Director, Investor Relations, Avaya
• Allison O’Rourke, Executive Vice President, Financial Institution Banking and Investor Relations Officer, Berkshire Hills Bancorp
• Kristen Papke, Senior Vice President, Financial Profiles, Inc.
• Roger Pondel, Chief Executive Officer, PondelWilkinson Inc.
• William R. (Bill) Powell, Adjunct Professor - Strategic Communication, Marketing, and Media Management Programs, New York University
• Michelle Roth, President, Roth Investor Relations
• Juna Rowland, Experienced Financial Marketing & Communications Professional
• Nicole Russell, Vice President, Investor Relations, Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc.
• Maria Sceppaguercio, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Communications, Pinnacle Foods
• Kate Scolnick, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasury, Seagate Technology
• Julie Sherwood, Vice President, Market Operations, American Electric Power
• Jerry Sisitsky, Vice President, Investor Relations, Constant Contact
• Jeff Smith, Director, Investor Relations, FedEx Corporation
• Shawn Southard, Principal, 19 Squared Investor Relations
• Angela Steinway, Head of Investor Relations and Financial Strategy, Integra LifeSciences
• Tripp Sullivan, President, SCR Partners
• Cherryl Valenzuela, Senior Manager, Investor Relations, Twitter
• Edward Vallejo, Vice President, Financial Strategy, Planning and Decision Support, American Water
• William Walkowiak, Retired Investor Relations Professional
• Douglas Wilburne, Vice President, Investor Relations, Textron
• Wendy Wilson, Senior Director Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, Vishay Precision Group
• Maureen Wolff, President & Partner, Sharon Merrill Associates
• Rich Yerganian, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, Xcerra Corporation
• Tabitha Zane, Vice President, Investor Relations, TopBuild
• Steven Zenker, Vice President, Investor Relations & Communications, Central Garden and Pet Company

About the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)

Founded in 1969, NIRI (www.NIRI.org) is the professional association of corporate officers and investor relations consultants responsible for communication among corporate management, shareholders, securities analysts and other financial community constituents. NIRI is the largest professional investor relations association in the world with more than 3,300 members representing over 1,600 publicly held companies and $9 trillion in stock market capitalization.

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Contact information

National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)
Matt Brusch, 703-562-7679
mbrusch@niri.org