Kath Carter is the Managing Partner of the $100million+ Midwest Transaction Advisory Services practice with over 22 years of business experience.  Of that, 17 years have been in mergers, acquisition and divestiture activity with eight years of her experience attained as a professional in the Chicago Transaction Support Practice before transferring to New York in late 2006 to focus on mega-private equity funds and returning to lead the Midwest Transaction Advisory Services Practice in 2008.  In 2011, under Kath’s leadership, the MW practice was presented the first Nidetz Cup awarded for Excellence in Market Leadership. Prior to joining Ernst & Young, Kath was the Director of M&A for the southern region of a $750 million national healthcare transportation company. Kath currently serves on the Board of the Friends of Prentice Women’s Hospital: a member of The Chicago Network, the Chicago Finance Exchange, ACG, and IVCA; and is frequently engaged in public speaking events. 

Although Kath is involved in many charitable organizations, breast cancer is something she is very passionate about fighting (even to the point of dancing in front of hundreds of people). This disease has hit home more than once with her sister-in-law being a 10+ year survivor, and in recent years, impacting two of her five sisters.   Kath is bound and determined to make a difference in the lives of so many impacted by this disease. 

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Bob Graham joined UBS from Merrill Lynch where he had been for 29 years, the past 20 years in Chicago. Most recently he served as the Regional Managing Director in Chicago, with responsibility for offices in Illinois, Northern Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Mr. Graham's career with Merrill Lynch includes time as the National Sales Director, Regional Director for Institutional Advisory, Mangaing Director- Private Wealth, and Board of Directors- Trust Company. He is well-known in the Chicago business and philanthropic community; successfully building businesses, developing strong relationships, and making a difference for so many of Chciago's non-profit and community interests.

Mr. Graham is a Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Joffrey Ballet. He was recently recognized nationally for his leadership, together with Mayor Richard Daley on the "Principal for a Day" program, in Chicago. He serves as the advisor to the Dean of the Charles H. Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University, is Archdiocese of Chicago marketing committee executive panel, and on the board of the 100 Club of Chicago. Additionaly, Mr. Graham was the co-chair of the Chciago Olympics Committee, has been actively involved with the Board of Chciago United, Habitat for Humanity, Juvenile Diabetes, the Gateway for Cancer Research, Chciagoland Chamber of Commerce and many other notable organizations. His community engagement has lead to various media placements including a cover story in Smart Business Magazine and a feature article in Michigan Avenue Magazine's Power Players editorial section where he was highlighted as a "Wealth Watcher." In addition, Mr. Graham was exclusively named "Man of the Month" by Today's Chicago Women Magazine and published in Crains Chicago Business Who's Who Business Leaders.

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 Alan R. Greenfield is an associate in the Franchise and Distribution practice group, concentrating his practice on domestic and international business, licensing and franchising matters.  Mr. Greenfield has repeatedly been recognized as a Rising Star by Illinois Super Lawyers, an honor given to approximately 2.5 percent of the best up-and-coming attorneys in the state.

Mr. Greenfield works with both experienced and startup franchise companies in structuring franchise programs and drafting franchise-related documents. He counsels franchisors and manufacturers on everyday compliance and other franchise or distributor-related issues, such as registration and disclosure matters, negotiating agreements, relationship termination laws, maintaining good franchisee/distributor relations and resolving disputes with franchisees/distributors.  Mr. Greenfield also works extensively on international franchising, licensing and distribution transactions.  He counsels a broad range of clients in expanding their brands internationally through various means, such as master franchising, multi-unit licensing and area development.

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Denise Harvill in 2009, was named Vice President - Western USA for Etihad Airways in Chicago. Her overall responsibilities for operational performance include sales, marketing, reservations and operational activities. In just 6 years Etihad Airways, the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates based in Abu Dhabi has flown more than 18 million guests to more than 58 destinations including Chicago and New York. Etihad has won 20 prestigious awards in 2009, including the “World’s Leading Airline” Award and the “Leading First Class” Award by WTA (World Travel Awards).

Prior to this position she was the Federal Security Director at Tacoma International Airport. She coordinated TSA security activities and regulatory actions in concert with Port of Seattle and airline management, other federal, state and local government and law enforcement organizations, and appropriate private sector entities; having direct security oversight for multi-modal operations.

Denise held key leadership positions through her career with United, including General Manager for United’s operations in Greece and the Philippines. She was elected to the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce while in the Philippines and was the first, and only, woman to ever hold that position in their history. She returned to the United States to be the Director of Customer Relations for United following her international assignments.

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Stacy Janiak is the Chicago office managing partner for Deloitte LLP, the largest Big Four organization in the area with more than 3,700 professionals. In this role, Stacy leads the quality, client satisfaction, growth and human resource initiatives for the Chicago practice. She also serves as the lead client service partner or advisory partner on a number of Deloitte’s most significant clients.

During her 20-year career with Deloitte, Stacy has served a variety of clients in the retail and consumer business industries, providing audit, internal control, regulatory compliance, merger and acquisition due diligence and other specialized services to Fortune 500 companies as well as growing, mid-sized private companies

Her Deloitte leadership experience also includes serving as the U.S. Retail sector leader from 2007 through 2010. During her tenure in that role, Stacy was responsible for leading more than 1,400 Deloitte retail sector professionals, overseeing the national strategic and operational direction of the practice, delivering quality client service, and driving industry-specific thought leadership. She has served as a spokesperson on retail and consumer spending trends; has appeared on CNBC, NBC, and CNN; and has been quoted in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. She is a published author and has been a frequent speaker at industry conferences. Additionally, Stacy has undertaken a number of leadership and mentoring roles with Deloitte’s Initiative for the Retention and Advancement of Women (WIN), a program widely considered a national benchmark for the development of women leaders.

A graduate of DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in commerce, she was honored as one of the school’s “14 Alumni Under 40” in 2009. Stacy was named among the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” honorees in 2008.

James S. Metcalf is chairman, president and chief executive officer, USGCorporation. Metcalf graduated with a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Pepperdine University and Stanford University SEP. His previous assignments at USG include president and chief operating officer,USG Corporation; president, Building Systems; president and chief executive officer, L&W Supply; senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, USG Interiors, Inc.; vice president, Sales, USG Interiors, Inc.; vice president, National Accounts, United States Gypsum Company; director, Retail Marketing, USG Corporation; director,Retail Sales, USG Interiors, Inc.; and national accounts manager, United States Gypsum Company. Metcalf joined USG as a sales trainee. Additionally, he serves on the board of directors for USG Corporation, Molex, Inc., and the National Association of Manufacturers. He is also a policy advisory board member for the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, a chair of the Business Advisory Committee for the Robert Crown Center in Hinsdale, Ill., a trustee of the USG Foundation, and a Malcolm Baldrige Fellow. USG Corporation is a manufacturer and distributor of high-performance building systems through its United States Gypsum Company, USG Interiors, Inc. and L&W Supply Corporation and other subsidiaries. Headquartered in Chicago, USG's worldwide operations serve the residential and non-residential construction markets, repair and remodel construction markets, and industrial processes. USG's wall, ceiling, flooring and roofing products provide leading-edge building solutions for customers, while L&W Supply center locations efficiently stock and deliver building materials nationwide.