American
Business
Conference A Coalition of Growth Companies
| For Immediate Release: |
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| April 29, 2002 |
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John Endean Appointed President of the American Business Conference
The American Business Conference (ABC), a coalition of CEOs of mid-size, high-growth firms founded by Arthur Levitt, Jr. in 1981, announced today that it has appointed John Endean as its new president. Mr. Endean, who will be the fourth president in ABC's history, is a former vice president of the organization and succeeds Barry Rogstad, who is retiring.
Commenting upon the change in ABC leadership, Arthur Levitt said, "I offer my congratulations to both John and Barry. It's great to see that ABC, which began as a modest idea on my part over twenty years ago, remains an important fixture on the Washington policy front. Now more than ever, entrepreneurs must make their voices heard in Washington, and ABC, in my view, provides them a progressive, constructive platform to do just that."
Alfred West, Jr., chairman of ABC and CEO of SEI Investments of Oaks, Pennsylvania, added: "My CEO-colleagues and I are pleased that John has agreed to succeed Barry. As vice president of ABC, John has led us forward on issues as diverse as tax reform, international trade, litigation reform, and a host of capital markets issues. I know that he will, as president, find new and creative ways to communicate the views of ABC members to policymakers and the public."
Mr. Endean responded: "I'm grateful for the chance to lead an organization like ABC. I also know that, despite the prosperity and job creation of the 1990s, business leaders in this country are by many measures held in low esteem by their fellow Americans. Part of the problem results from the decision by many big company CEOs to substitute campaign contributions for personal involvement in the policymaking process. This checkbook advocacy invites and deserves a cynical response.
"At ABC, we place a premium on a CEO's direct, personal participation in the policymaking process. My job will be to expand upon that participation so that successful entrepreneurs can pass on to the next generation the opportunities and responsibilities they enjoyed when they built their businesses. That's always been the animating idea of ABC, and it's one I hope to strengthen in the years to come."
The American Business Conference is a nonpartisan Washington-based coalition of chief executives of midsizes, fast-growing corporations. ABC members advocate policies to promote economic growth and a higher standard of living for all Americans.