American Writers Museum Foundation (Chicago): Jerre L. Stead, once CEO of Square D Co., is the new chairman of the American Writers Museum (AWM) Foundation. The Museum has additional electrical ties, as Malcolm O'Hagan, formerly president of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Rosslyn, Va., is its founding chairman and president.
Stead is now executive chairman of the board of directors of the Colorado-based IHS Inc., a global provider of information and consulting services. He was recently named by the Denver Post as 2013 Business Person of the Year for his success as Colorado's chief recovery officer, where he oversaw efforts to rebuild after the state's devastating floods in September 2013.
In addition to his leadership role at Square D, Stead served as chairman and CEO of Ingram Micro Inc., as the chairman, CEO and president of Legent Corporation, chairman and CEO of AT&T Global Information Solutions, and as president of AT&T Global Business Communications Systems. He also held numerous positions during a 21-year career at Honeywell.
A press release announcing his appointment as chairman of the AWM said Stead is avid reader, he is a graduate of the University of Iowa, home of the renowned Iowa Writers' Workshop. THE AWM decided to split the president and board chairman positions because the scope of work continues to increase as the museum project grows and nears its projected opening date for a physical location in downtown Chicago in 2016. The Museum is already up and running virtually and with a traveling exhibit, From Our Neighborhoods: Four Chicago Writers Who Changed America, which is currently touring Chicago-area libraries and cultural centers. It is available online by clicking here.