Citigate Sard Verbinnen, a financial and corporate communications firm, hired Brad Wilks as a managing director and CEO of the firm’s Chicago office. His appointment was effective Aug. 1.
Before joining Citigate Sard Verbinnen, Wilks served as managing director and head of the Chicago office of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide for six years. He has more than 19 years of combined agency and corporate experience, with areas of expertise including strategic positioning and reputation management, investor road show development, crisis communications, annual report writing, IPOs, spin-offs and corporate restructuring communications.
Prior to joining Ogilvy, Wilks headed the investor relations and technology practices for Fleishman-Hillard, Chicago. Before that, he was head of investor relations for Ball Corp. for six years. During his tenure with Ball, Wilks was featured by Institutional Investor magazine as one of the leading investor relations professionals in the United States as selected by a poll of security analysts. Earlier in his career, he was at Ogilvy Adams & Rinehart in New York.
Citigate also announced that Ron Culp, who established the office in 2003, will continue as chairman, and Debbie Miller, a principal and 10-year veteran of the New York office, will relocate to Chicago and join Wilks’ team.
INNERWORKINGS
Eric D. Belcher joined InnerWorkings as executive vice president, operations. Belcher will oversee all service delivery functions, supply chain management and InnerWorkings certified supplier network. Previously, he was chief operating officer for MAN Roland Inc., where he oversaw sheetfed operations throughout North America. Prior to assuming that post, Belcher served as CFO.
Belcher holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University.
DUANE MORRIS
Patrick Cary joined Duane Morris LLP’s Chicago office as a partner in the firm’s Trial Practice Group. Cary previously worked at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman and Dicker LLP.
He specializes in directors and officers insurance coverage work and litigation regarding claims of securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duties, antitrust violations, lender liability and wrongful employment practices. Cary has also represented individuals and organizations in securities arbitration.
Prior to joining Wilson Elser, he was an attorney for the National Association of Securities Dealers, the primary private-sector regulator of the securities industry, in its Chicago office. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame and a law degree from Marquette University.
HURON CONSULTING GROUP
Seth Palatnik, managing director of Huron Consulting Group, was named head of the company’s Valuation Practice. For more than 20 years, Palatnik has been actively involved in valuation and corporate finance matters. He has broad experience in valuing companies, partnerships and intangible assets.
Prior to joining Huron in 2003, Palatnik was a partner and national director of the Valuation Services Practice at BDO Seidman LLP. Before BDO, he was a senior manager at KPMG Peat Marwick and spent several years in the industry as a financial analyst.
KNOCKOUT HOLDINGS INC.
David E. Malone was named COO of Knockout Holdings Inc., exclusive developer and marketer of the new George Foreman’s Knock-Out line of household and automotive cleaning products. He replaced Ahmed Shaikh, who had been serving as president and COO and will remain with the company during the transition.
Previously, Malone served as senior vice president of Mesirow Financial and project executive for Illinois Property Asset Management LLC, where he provided real estate strategy and consulting to the state of Illinois. Prior to that, Malone served as chief procurement officer for the city of Chicago from 2000 to 2004, where he was responsible for overseeing contract awards and purchases.
Malone has also served as director of worldwide procurement for RR Donnelley & Sons Co., director of purchasing and supplier development for Avery Dennison Corp. and commodity manager at Xerox Corp.
