George C. Casey Tapped as Interim President & CEO of the American Humane Association

DENVER, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of the American Humane Association announced today that it has appointed former board member George C. Casey to serve as interim President and CEO to replace Marie Belew Wheatley, who resigned on Jan. 8, 2010, as head of the 132-year-old organization that promotes the protection of both children and animals.

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"The Board of Directors appreciates Marie's contributions and leadership over the last six years," said David Gies, board chairman.  Gies is also executive director of the Animal Assistance Foundation in Denver.  Gies commented that an esteemed former board member, George Casey, will act as American Humane's CEO until the board completes a national search for a new president and CEO.

Gies noted that Casey, a professional management consultant, will work with Wheatley on effecting a smooth transition, and will assist the board with initiating the search for a replacement. In the interim, Casey will work with American Humane's senior management staff and the board of directors in sustaining ongoing priorities while evaluating the organization's structure.  He said the leadership change underscores the board's commitment to strengthening the significant investments the organization has made in program growth, with the goal of advancing the organization to the next level of its evolution.

"Marie's leadership for nearly six years brought about substantial improvement and growth," Gies noted, adding that among numerous other accomplishments, she helped lead the resurgence of American Humane's reputation and presence in child welfare and animal emergency services, the growth of the American Humane(R) Certified farm animal program, and the creation of the organization's Human-Animal Bond Division, the American Humane Endowed Chair at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, and the American Humane Child Protection Research Center.

About American Humane

Founded in 1877, the American Humane Association is the only national organization dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Through a network of child and animal protection agencies and individuals, American Humane develops policies, legislation, curricula and training programs to protect children and animals from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The nonprofit organization, headquartered in Denver, raises awareness about The Link(R) between violence to people and violence to animals, as well as the benefits derived from the human-animal bond. American Humane's office in Los Angeles is the authority behind the "No Animals Were Harmed"(R) end-credit disclaimer on film and TV productions, and American Humane's office in Washington, D.C., is an advocate for child and animal protection at the federal and state levels. The American Humane(R) Certified farm animal program is the nation's original independent certification and labeling program for humanely raised food. American Humane meets the strong, comprehensive standards of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, has been awarded the Independent Charities of America's "Best in America" Seal of Approval, has met the stringent standards for financial efficiency and accountability required by the American Institute of Philanthropy to qualify as a Top-Rated Charity, and has received a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator. Visit www.americanhumane.org to learn more.

SOURCE American Humane Association

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