Brown Named CEO of the American Heart A...( First woman CEO to take helm on J...),Health

First woman CEO to take helm on January 1

DALLAS, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nancy Brown has been named the next Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association, effective January 1, 2009. Brown was named to the position by the organization's national Board of Directors at its meeting on Wednesday. Brown is the first female CEO in the history of the association. She succeeds Cass Wheeler, who has served as CEO of the association for 11 years.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081103/DC43700)

Brown has served as the association's Chief Operating Officer for the last seven years. Since 1986, she has worked with the American Heart Association in a variety of roles including Metro Detroit Director in the Michigan Affiliate; Executive Vice President for the Massachusetts Affiliate; Executive Vice President for the New England Affiliate; national Executive Vice President for Science Operations, and her current position of Chief Operating Officer at the National Center.

"Most organizations who lose a CEO like Cass Wheeler would be concerned about their transition, but the promotion of Nancy Brown to CEO is a celebration of her leadership and Cass' commitment to preparing the AHA for succession," said David A. Josserand, chairman of the American Heart Association Board of Directors. "We will always be indebted to Cass for his years of guidance and look forward to the next era led by Nancy Brown."

In her role as COO, Brown has been responsible for leading a number of significant advances for the AHA, including the launch of its cause initiatives (Go Red for Women, START!, Power to End Stroke, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation); the Winning with Talent Task Force, which was initiated to assure the AHA built upon its reputation as a great place to work and included the creation of the AHA University and the launch of
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