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News Releases
City Council Names Harris VP Judy Rice to Chicago Public Library Board
Appointment Appends Rice’s Already Impressive Résumé of Civic Service
CHICAGO, IL, Sept. 23 – Harris today announced the appointment of Judy Rice, vice president and director of Government Affairs, to the Chicago Public Library Board by the Chicago City Council.
Nominated for the position by Mayor Richard M. Daley, Rice joins a distinguished board comprised of nine members charged with the governance of 79 libraries and 1,200 employees across the Chicago metropolitan area. In this role, Rice will assist the Commissioner and staff in decisions affecting the Chicago Public Library system.
“Having worked with Judy in the past, I know what a thoughtful, deliberative, and conscientious individual she is,” said Mary Dempsey, Commissioner, Chicago Public Library. “We are honored and delighted to welcome her as a new board member.”
Formerly the City Treasurer of Chicago, Rice joined Harris in 2007 with a strong background in public service. Her credentials include serving as the first female commissioner of two of Chicago’s key infrastructure agencies, leading the Department of Water from 1996 to 1999, and the Department of Transportation from 1999 to 2000.
In 1989, Rice began her tenure with the City of Chicago as Assistant Corporation Counsel, rising steadily through the ranks to serve as Director of the Department of Revenue from 1993 to 1995. She earned her law degree from John Marshall Law School in 1988, and graduated cum laude from Loyola University in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in communications.
Rice’s two-year appointment became effective Sept. 9.
About the Chicago Public Library
The Chicago Public Library is comprised of the Harold Washington Library Center, two regional libraries and 76 neighborhood branches. All locations provide free access to a rich collection of books, DVDs, audio books and music; the Internet and WiFi; sophisticated research databases, many of which can be accessed from a home or office computer; newspapers and magazines; and continue to serve as cultural centers, presenting the highest quality author discussions, exhibits and programs for children, teens and adults.
About Harris
Harris is an integrated financial service organization providing more than 1.2 million personal, business and corporate clients with banking, lending, investing and wealth management solutions. The organization is a member of the BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), which also provides corporate and investment banking services in the U.S. under the BMO Capital Markets name.
Rachel Gerds , Harris (312) 461-7865
Current News Releases
Harris Honored for Equitable LGBT Policies, Practices
Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index Gives Harris Perfect Score
CHICAGO, IL, Sept. 14 – Harris today announced it achieved a perfect 100 percent rating in the 2010 edition of the Corporate Equality Index, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s annual measure of how equitably U.S.-based businesses treat their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Harris joins an elite group of employers that also received top ratings. The 2010 Corporate Equality Index, which rated 590 businesses on a scale from 0 to 100 percent, reports 305 businesses achieved perfect scores – up 20 percent from 260 last year, despite a challenging economic environment.
“With a 125-year legacy of honesty and fair dealing, Harris knows that respecting all our employees not only makes good business sense – it’s the right thing to do, plain and simple,” said Deirdre Drake, senior vice president, Human Resources, Harris N.A. “Harris is heartened to see a rising number of businesses also committed to cultivating an atmosphere which embraces diversity, promotes equity, and encourages every individual to contribute their best.”
Recognizing diversity as a key asset, Harris has long valued the benefits of recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce. The company currently offers its more than 7,000 employees several affinity groups, including Lion’s Pride, which offers LGBT employees a supportive forum for mentoring, networking, and career development within Harris Bank and BMO.
“This is a meaningful milestone for Harris and all its employees,” said Kurt Dahl, chairperson of Lion’s Pride. “I feel privileged to work for a company that values the many iterations of diversity not only in policy, but also in practice.”
To view the complete Corporate Equality Index report, visit www.HRC.org/CEI. 
About The Human Rights Campaign Foundation
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
About Harris
Harris is an integrated financial service organization providing more than 1.2 million personal, business and corporate clients with banking, lending, investing and wealth management solutions. The organization is a member of the BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), which also provides corporate and investment banking services in the U.S. under the BMO Capital Markets name.
Rachel Gerds , Harris (312) 461-7865
Current News Releases
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