American Cancer Society Foundation Elects New Officers

American Cancer Society
Tuesday, 19 December 2000

The American Cancer Society Foundation Board of Trustees has elected new officers for the year 2001.

Irwin Belk of Charlotte, North Carolina, was elected president for a two year term ending in 2002. Mr. Belk is president of The Belk Group, Inc., and retired officer and director of The Belk Group of Stores, which operates some 300 department stores in the Southeastern United States. He is a former North Carolina State Senator and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was appointed by President Clinton as the United States Public Delegate to the 54th United Nations General Assembly in 1999.

Arnold A. Portigal of Phoenix, Arizona, was re-elected treasurer for two years, ending in 2002. Mr. Portigal is president of Genevieve Financial Inc. of Canada and Genevieve Holdings of Arizona, Ltd. He has been involved in the development of health care facilities in Western Canada since the 1970s and served as chairman of the board of the Manitoba Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation until his move to Arizona in 1994. He acts as the Foundation Board liaison to the Southwest Division of the American Cancer Society, which includes Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

Ralph Destino of New York City, chairman emeritus of Cartier, Inc., was re-elected secretary, also for a two year term. He is active in many civic, charity, and cultural organizations, serving as chairman of the Gemological Institute of America, and the Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District. Mr. Destino is also a director of the United Way of New York City and the Jeweler's of America. From 1985 until 1998, he served as chairman of the board of the American Cancer Society (NYC Division), and continues as chairman of the New York City Council.

Two new trustees were elected for a period of one year, ending in November 2001. Queen Noor of Jordan and Gary M. Reedy of Dresher, Pennsylvania.

For more than 20 years, Queen Noor has been championing international understanding of Middle Eastern issues, especially those dealing with education and human rights. She is a passionate supporter of cancer research and chairs Jordan's first comprehensive cancer center, the Al Amal Cancer Center.

Gary Reedy has more than 20 years of global sales and marketing experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry and, as president of Ortho Biotech, he is committed to improving the quality of cancer patients lives. In addition, Mr. Reedy serves as a Board Advisor to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

The American Cancer Society Foundation was organized in 1992 as the capital gift and endowment arm of the American Cancer Society. To date over $59 million has been raised by the Foundation to support cancer control programs.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

For more information, or to contact American Cancer Society, see their website at: www.cancer.org