National Investor Relations Institute Appoints James M. Cudahy, CAE, President and CEO

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Jan. 7, 2015 - PRLog -- The National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) announced today that its board of directors has appointed James M. Cudahy, CAE, to be its next president and CEO effective March 2, 2015. Mr. Cudahy, 47, will succeed Jeffrey D. Morgan, CAE, FASAE, who resigned in October 2014 to become CEO of the Club Managers Association of America.

Mr. Cudahy currently serves as executive director and CEO for the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), an organization that certifies stenographic court reporters and broadcast captioners while protecting and advancing their professional interests. At NCRA, Mr. Cudahy manages a staff of 35 and a $7 million budget. Within a career that spans 24 years working in and around associations, Mr. Cudahy worked for nine years at CFA Institute as vice president of marketing and communications. There, among his responsibilities, he was responsible for engineering campaigns to build wider recognition and appreciation of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential on a global basis.

“Jim brings strategic leadership and extensive experience with certification programs, including significant time at CFA Institute. In the selection process, the search committee recognized the value of his experience working with association chapters as well,” said NIRI chair Mark J. Donohue. “Jim views the CEO position at NIRI as a unique opportunity to leverage his experience and skill-set to expand NIRI's value to its members through a broader scope of services and to build upon our global sphere of influence.”

NIRI’s board of directors worked with executive search firm Spencer Stuart to assist in recruiting a new CEO. The CEO search committee was comprised of:

·         - John T. Chevalier, committee chair, former NIRI board chair and director of global investor relations, The Procter & Gamble Company;

·         - Mark J. Donohue, NIRI board chair and vice president of investor relations and corporate communications, Impax Laboratories, Inc;

·         - Barbara L. Gasper, former NIRI director and executive vice president/group executive, investor relations, MasterCard Incorporated;

·        -  Valerie C. Haertel, NIRI Director and head of global investor relations, BNY Mellon;

·         - Deborah K. Pawlowski, NIRI director and president & CEO, Kei Advisors LLC.; and

·         - Douglas R. Wilburne, former NIRI chair and vice president, investor relations, Textron Inc.

“The board recently approved our OneNIRI 2015-2018 strategic plan, which focuses on several key initiatives including introducing the industry’s first IR certification program, further broadening NIRI’s global brand, and leveraging technology to build upon our highly valued member benefits,” Mr. Donohue concluded. “We look to Jim’s skills and experience to assist NIRI in delivering on these important tasks.”

“It’s an honor to be chosen by the NIRI search committee and the board to lead the association through the next phase of its history as we further strengthen NIRI’s reputation as the world’s most trusted organization dedicated to the development and promotion of best practices in investor relations and financial communications,” said Mr. Cudahy. “I look forward to engaging with NIRI members, chapters, volunteers, staff, and the worldwide investor relations community at large to work in concert to achieve our strategic initiatives.”