New CEO Will Drive Member Retention, Recruitment and Revenues, Taking ACG to the “Next Level”

Last fall our strategic planning session resulted in the recommendation to the board of directors and chapter presidents that we hire a Chief Executive Officer. We are pleased to inform you that your board agreed to make an offer to Daniel A. Varroney to serve as the first CEO of ACG. Dan accepted and started with us on June 13, and on June 20, wearing his new ACG hat, he appeared on CNBC’s “Wake Up Call” at 6:15 a.m. in New York City to discuss the results of the ACG/Thomson Dealmaker’s Survey. It is a testament to the quality of ACG that we are able to attract a leader with this breadth of experience and depth of industry knowledge. To assume the role at ACG, Dan resigned his position with the National Association of Manufacturers after a distinguished and varied 23-year career. We have asked Dan to provide us with a complete operations evaluation, looking through a consultant’s lens -from financial condition to delivery of services – and present his report and recommendations on how we can add value to the chapters and provide resources that drive member retention, recruitment, and revenue growth. Dan will benefit greatly from your guidance and input. Read more fully about him in the “Executive Suite” feature in this issue. Special thanks to the members of our search committee: Patrick Hurley (MidMarket Capital Advisors), Lee Koehn (Lee Koehn Associates), Stuart Mathews (Metapoint Partners), Mike McFadden (Goldsmith, Agio, Helms), Jim O’Donnell (Capital for Business), Al Reid (Abbott Laboratories) and Cathy Shew (FirstEnergy). This task-driven group devoted significant time and effort to make sure we found the person best suited to help us take ACG to the next level. The committee epitomizes the talent, optimism, and creativity that attract all of us to ACG. Lorraine Lavet and the Korn/Ferry team were integral in the success of the recruitment process. Carl Wangman and many other ACG members were helpful in defining the position and ensuring that our candidate pool was robust. Thank you also to those who offered suggestions and encouragement along the way. We now have a full-time executive whose mission is to support you with a primary focus on building a world-class operation, to grow ACG, and to drive our brand as the leading authority on corporate growth. We are at the starting gate, and if we all participate and drive the outcome, we will achieve success beyond expectations! As we put into place our new regionalized governing structure for ACG, we welcome seven new directors to the ACG board: Ken Bresnen (ACG Austin-North America (N.A.) Region 2), Dino D’Auria (ACG San Diego-N.A. Region 1), Stephen R. Ferrara (ACG Chicago-ACG Assistant Treasurer), Ronald R. Moss (ACG Greater Cincinnati-N.A. Region 5), Brent L. Paris (ACG Connecticut-N. A. Region 3), Dennis J. White (ACG Boston-N. A. Region 3), and C. Donald Wiggins (ACG North Florida-N.A. Region 4). Thanks to all of you for stepping up! The strength of ACG networking is highlighted in this issue’s recap of the 2005 Mid-South Capital Connection presented by ACG Memphis on June 7. We trust you will find the ACG/Thomson Dealmakers survey results of interest. We encourage and thank you for your continued participation in these surveys because the information drives good decisions and adds credibility to the results. The publication and media distribution of the survey results help us build the ACG brand. Finally, I think you will enjoy reading in this issue about your fellow ACG members, Paul Count and Darlene Rose. Both of these individuals, like many of you, find time to do it all. Have a great month. (c) 2005 Mergers and Acquisitions Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.majournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com