May 25, 2010 at 11:19 a.m.
Filed under:
Chicago executives,
Conventions,
Policy,
Politics
James K. McCusker, Viante Home Products Company, demonstrates his company’s new coffee maker at The International Home and Housewares Show at McCormick Place in 2009. (Bradley Piper/Chicago Tribune)
By Kathy Bergen
| Top executives with the International Home + Housewares Show fired off an email to Gov. Pat Quinn today, saying they could not recommend Chicago as the show’s venue for 2012 and beyond when their board meets later this week unless the governor signs the McCormick Place overhaul legislation.
“The lack of signature to this bill will ultimately send us and other vitally important trade show business elsewhere,” the email stated. It was signed by Phil Brandl, president of the International Housewares Association, and Mia Rampersad, the group’s vice president/trade shows. The association’s show has been a cornerstone of the city’s convention business since 1939.
Quinn is expected to make a decision on the bill within days. Sources expect he will sign it, but will try to attach some changes as well.
May 25, 2010 at 11:14 a.m.
Filed under:
Autos,
Chicago executives
By Mary Ellen Podmolik
| Chris Konecki, who joined the Chicago Automobile Trade Association six years ago, was promoted to executive vice president of the trade group representing more than 500 franchised Chicago-area new-car dealers and affiliated businesses.
Konecki, 44, previously served as director of auto show operations and succeeds David Sloan, who was named the group’s president Jan. 1. Konecki joined the association after 16 years at McCormick Place, where he was event manager of the Chicago Auto Show account and other large shows.
Tribune staff | Ryerson Inc. Chief Executive Stephen E. Makarewicz told its board of directors he plans to retire before the end of 2012 and the company announced Tuesday it had begun a global search for his successor.
Makarewicz, 63, who has been CEO and president of the Chicago-based company since August 2008, said he plans to retire by age 65. He previously served as president of Ryerson South from June 2000 to October 2007 and was president, CEO and chief operating offer of J.M. Metals Co., Inc. from October 1994 until its January 2006 merger with Ryerson.
May 24, 2010 at 4:19 p.m.
Filed under:
Chicago executives,
Energy
By Mary Ellen Podmolik
| Andrea Zopp, who has served as Exelon Corp.’s executive vice president and general counsel since last June, will leave May 31, the company announced Monday.
Exelon said its legal department will report to William A. Von Hoene, Jr., executive vice president, finance and legal, on an interim basis.
Before her most recent promotion, Zopp had served as executive vice president and chief human resources officer since 2006. She also has served as general counsel at Sears Holding Corp., deputy general counsel at Sara Lee Corp. and was a partner at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal. Zopp also was the first state’s attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office.
May 24, 2010 at 2:39 p.m.
Filed under:
Autos,
Chicago executives,
China,
International
Dow Jones Newswires | The U.S. auto market will sell 12 million vehicles in 2010, a 15 percent increase over last year, as the economic recovery continues, said Nissan
Motor Co. Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn.
The U.S., which was passed by China last year to be the largest market,
will never again regain its crown, Ghosn said in an interview Monday.
European sales have been better than forecast so far this year, but may
be dragged lower if the debt crisis in Greece pulls down the regional
economy.
May 20, 2010 at 8:04 p.m.
Filed under:
Chicago executives,
Government,
Markets
Reuters | The U.S. Senate approved a sweeping Wall Street reform bill on Thursday night, capping months of wrangling over the biggest overhaul of financial regulation since the 1930s.
By a vote of 59 to 39, the Senate handed a victory to President Barack Obama, a champion of tighter rules for banks and capital markets following the 2007-2009 financial crisis that led to a deep recession and massive taxpayer bailouts.
May 19, 2010 at 5:27 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Chicago executives,
Labor,
M&A
United CEO Glenn Tilton, left, and Continental Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek in Chicago on May 4, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Associated Press via Forbes | United and Continental named the executives who will oversee integration of the two airlines, which will begin early next month. The comments came Wednesday in regulatory filings and in a message to employees.
They said the integration process will be led by a steering committee of six executives, including Glenn Tilton, the CEO of United parent UAL Corp., and Jeff Smisek, the CEO of Continental. The other executives are chief financial officer Kathryn Mikells and chief administrative officer Pete McDonald from UAL, and CFO Zane Rowe and chief marketing officer Jim Compton of Continental Airlines.
Get the full story: United, Continental name execs to oversee deal.
May 18, 2010 at 4:58 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Chicago executives,
M&A
From Reuters | The CEO of US Airways, Doug Parker, said Tuesday that the airline does not need to merge to survive and that he supports the proposed deal between Continental Airlines and United Airlines.
Get the full story: reuters.com.
May 14, 2010 at 4:52 p.m.
Filed under:
Chicago executives,
Food
By Wailin Wong | Sara Lee Corp. made a surprise announcement Friday that Brenda Barnes, its chairwoman and chief executive, is going on a temporary medical leave effective immediately.
The Downers Grove-based food company declined to provide further information on Barnes’ condition or the expected length of her absence.
Get the full story »
May 14, 2010 at 4:36 p.m.
Filed under:
Chicago executives
By Melissa Harris
| David Weinstein has resigned as chairman of the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, citing personal reasons, according to a statement from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce released Friday.
John Roberson, who was most recently president of Target Group Inc., has been named executive vice president of the center. He replaces Jason Felger, who is joining Redbox as a member of the strategy and business development team.
A replacement for Weinstein has not been named. Boards of both the chamber and the center must approve the successor.
May 13, 2010 at 10:27 a.m.
Filed under:
Autos,
Chicago executives
Associated Press | Ford CEO Alan Mulally told shareholders Thursday that the automaker should be “solidly” profitable in 2010 as it recovers from a sharp downturn in the auto industry. At the company’s annual meeting in Delaware, Mulally said that Ford should also see “continuing improvement” into 2011.
His predictions follow four consecutive profitable quarters for Ford Motor Co., which has rebounded better than most rivals from a historic plunge in auto sales during the recession. Ford posted staggering losses in 2008 and early 2009.
Get the full story: Ford CEO says improvement to continue into 2011.
May 12, 2010 at 4:56 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Chicago executives
Associated Press via Bloomberg | Glenn Tilton, the chairman and CEO of United Airlines parent UAL
Corp., has been named to a federal advisory committee on the future of
aviation.
Tilton said he looked forward to working with Transportation
Secretary Ray LaHood and others on policy measures to strengthen the
airline industry and the economy.
The panel is called The Future of Aviation Advisory Committee and
includes other airline executives.
Get the full story: ShoreBank still in capital talks with investors.
May 11, 2010 at 5:37 p.m.
Filed under:
Chicago executives,
Exchanges,
Policy
Dow Jones Newswires | The top executives of CME Group Inc. on Tuesday pushed the exchange operator’s method of dealing with price volatility as a model for other asset classes, while calling for improved coordination between cash and derivatives markets.
Craig Donohue, chief executive of CME, said a five-second pause in trading at the height of the May 6 market turmoil spurred a recovery in equity index futures prices and helped other markets recover.
Get the full story »
By Wailin Wong | McDonald’s Corp. marketing chief Mary Dillon is leaving the fast food giant to take the top job at U.S. Cellular Corp., replacing John “Jack” Rooney as chief executive of the country’s sixth-largest wireless carrier.
Dillon, 48, will start her new role as president and CEO on June 1. She also will join Chicago-based U.S. Cellular’s board.
Get the full story »
May 10, 2010 at 3:05 p.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Chicago executives,
Food
An employee working the coffee machine at a Wheaton McDonald’s. Mary Dillon’s vacancy comes at a time of strength for McDonald’s, which is powering ahead with help from espresso-based drinks and premium burgers. (Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune)
Dow Jones Newswires | McDonald’s Corp. is launching a search for a new global marketing chief
following the departure of Mary Dillon, who’s taking the top job at U.S.
Cellular Corp.
On Monday, the Chicago-based wireless carrier named the 48-year-old as
president and chief executive, effective June 1, to replace John Rooney,
who is retiring after a decade at the helm.
Dillon’s departure opens one of the most high-profile marketing
positions in the world, and her successor will help shape the message of
the largest fast-food chain in the world, serving more than 60 million
customers a day. McDonald’s, with an annual advertising budget of about
$2 billion, according to Ad Age’s DataCenter, outspends all other
restaurant companies on marketing activities and ranks among the top 15
advertisers in the world.
Get the full story »
