Filed under: Chicago executives

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Allstate hires executive from Willis Group

Allstate Corp. has hired a high-level Willis Group executive to head its emerging business unit.

The Northbrook-based auto and home insurer confirmed Monday that it has hired Don Bailey as senior vice president of emerging businesses, the unit that was set up in 2007 and includes a motor club and coverage for jet skis, motorcycles, boats and commercial vehicles.

Bailey was previously chairman and chief executive of Willis North America, part of the worldwide insurance brokerage Willis Group Holdings. Get the full story »

First Midwest Bancorp names new director

First Midwest Bancorp Inc., the $8.38 billion-asset parent of First Midwest Bank, has named Amcol International Chief Executive Lawrence Washow to its board of directors. Get the full story »

Ex-Chicago bankers pick up second failed bank

A bank investor group that includes turnaround financier Wilbur L. Ross Jr. and several former PrivateBancorp and MB Financial executives on Friday made its second purchase of a failed bank this year. Get the full story »

Potash CEO exercises $1.26M in options

From Canada’s Globe and Mail | Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan CEO Bill Doyle, of Winnetka, exercised 124,100 stock options this week, worth about $1.26 million less than two months after predicting the company’s stock price would “blow the doors off” its previous record high of about $240.

The options issued to Doyle a decade ago, had an exercise price of $10.16 and were set to expire Sunday. Earlier this year, Doyle exercised a batch of nearly 200,000 options from that same grant for pretax profits of $17.5 million.

BHP Billiton last week withdrew its $38.6 billion hostile takeover bid for Potash, saying it could not convince Canada’s federal government to approve the deal.Get the full story>>

Comcast picks team to run NBC after takeover

Comcast Corp. on Thursday named several executives who will hold top jobs at NBC Universal after the cable company takes control of the broadcaster and movie studio.

Former Showtime President Bob Greenblatt will be chairman of NBC Entertainment, responsible for prime time and late night programming, business affairs and NBC Universal Media studios. Get the full story »

Oprah said to be eyeing New York-area property

From the New York Post | Oprah Winfrey yesterday toured a $68 million mansion for sale on the grounds of the former Frick estate in Alpine, N.J. before heading north to look at another property a few miles north in Snedens Landing. Get the full story>>

FT: Kraft’s Rosenfeld world’s No. 4 business woman

Kraft CEO Irene Rosenfeld. (Tribune)

From the Financial Times | Kraft Foods Chief Executive Irene Rosenfeld appeared fourth on the Financial Times’ 2010 Women at the Top ranking of the world’s most influential female business leaders. Get the full story>>

Orbitz names new Chief Technology Officer

Orbitz Worldwide Inc. on Monday said that it has named Roger Liew as senior vice president and chief technology officer. Get the full story »

Broadwind Energy appoints new president, CEO

Broadwind Energy Inc., a company that provides equipment for the wind energy industry, said Monday it has hired the leader of Acciona SA’s North America division to be its next president and CEO. Get the full story »

Execs return to private planes as economy improves

Private planes at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, N.J. (AP Photo/Jeff Zelevansky)

U.S. executives, including those at government-owned General Motors, are getting back on corporate planes as the economy slowly recovers.

While airlines still account for the majority of corporate travel, many businesses are gradually returning to private planes. They are eager to avoid airport hassles, flight delays and other potential logistical snags associated with commercial flying. For some companies, corporate jets are also a better value.

“We appear to be off the bottom,” said Dan Hubbard of the National Business Aviation Association trade group that represents companies that own and charter planes. “We seem to be seeing things stabilize at this point.” Get the full story »

Minorities still lack a presence in executive ranks

Despite slight improvements, minorities continue to have limited access to managerial and executive positions in Chicago-area corporations, according to a report by Chicago United, an advocacy group.

“Unfortunately, despite the more than 30 years of affirmative action and corporate diversity initiatives, access to the C-suite is still elusive in Chicago and in corporations across the country,” according to the report.

The report, called the “2010 Corporate Diversity Profile,” was based on a survey of 19 public corporations. It found a slight increase in the number of minority executives, but no change in the representation minorities at the corporate director level, where about 9 percent of board members are black, 4 percent are Hispanic, 3 percent are Asian and 84 percent are white. Get the full story »

Former Sara Lee CEO Barnes appears at RIC event

From the Chicago Sun-Times | Former Sara Lee CEO Brenda Barnes attended the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago’s SkyRise event to give her two sons and daughters — part of Team Brenda — a medal for walking up 103 floors of the Willis Tower. “It’s been six months since my mom first had a stroke, and it’s been a long road for us,” Barnes’ daughter, Erin, said at the finish line. Get the full story >>

Reinkemeyer to leave Morningstar unit

By Dawn Rhodes | The president of Morningstar Associates, a unit of Morningstar Inc., is leaving the company next month, according to company officials.

Patrick Reinkemeyer will step down  Dec. 15 but will remain as a consultant until Dec. 15, 2011. Get the full story »

Herencia back in banking with SKBHC Holdings

Roberto Herencia, the longtime president of Banco Popular North America who went on to head Midwest Banc Holdings Inc., is back in the banking industry.

Herencia  has joined the board  of SKBHC Holdings, which on Oct. 26 got Federal Reserve approval to become a bank holding company.  Its investors include an Illinois pension plan. Get the full story »

Kevin Metheny, Jim Laski out at WGN-AM 720

Kevin Metheny, the WGN-AM 720 program director whose abrupt moves to grow the audience grew a well of resentment among some long-time listeners, is is leaving the station along with his most controversial hire, former convicted Chicago City Clerk Jim Laski.