Representatives from Trammell Crow Company, Project Management Solutions Group, LLC and Thompson Coburn, LLP Become Newest Members

EDWARDSVILLE, ILL., JULY 7, 2008... The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois today announced that it has added Trammell Crow Company, Project Management Solutions Group, LLC and Thompson Coburn, LLP to its growing list of members. Representatives from the three companies will join the other leaders in business, industry, labor, education and government sectors that work together to encourage business investment and development in Southwestern Illinois.

James M. Didion, principal for Trammell Crow Company in Clayton, Mo., will represent the real estate development and investment firm where he overseas operations for the St. Louis and Kansas City Metro areas. Didion has approximately 25 years experience in commercial real estate, covering a broad range of activities including acquisitions/depositions, leasing, investment sales, and development of land sites, industrial warehouses and office buildings. He played an integral role in the development of Shaw Park Plaza, Creve Coeur Corporate Center IV, Gateway Commerce Center and the KCI Intermodal BusinessCentre; all significant developments in St. Louis & Kansas City. Didion is involved with many local organizations including United Services, the Missouri Growth Association, NAIOP, The Alliance of Edwardsville-Glen Carbon and Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis.

Michael E. Ward will represent Project Management Solutions Group, LLC (PMSG) on the Leadership Council. PMSG provides project management consulting to reinforce the formal training and provide assistance to organizations that are looking to enhance their project management environment. As founder and managing director of the firm, Ward utilizes these services to allow clients to understand their current project management practices, enhance their methods and competencies, and integrate the PMSG approach to project management into their organizations. Ward has nearly 25 years experience in the areas of project management, technical solutions and network engineering, and his background includes serving as a telecommunications engineering technician for the U.S Coast Guard, where he was an integral part of the eight-man team involved in the planning, design, implementation, maintenance and repair of multi-application voice and data telecommunications networking equipment.

Ryan R. Kemper, an attorney with Thompson Coburn, LLP, will serve as the St. Louis-based law firm's representative on the Leadership Council. Thompson Coburn, which also has offices in Belleville, Ill., Chicago and Washington D.C., is a client-focused firm with over 340 attorneys practicing in almost every area of law and serving clients around the United States and beyond.  Kemper, who joined the firm in 2005, specializes in litigation related to environmental issues, real estate and construction suits, and state and federal regulatory compliance matters. His background experience also includes serving the Environment and Energy Committee of the Illinois State Senate, where he worked on legislation dealing with voluntary cleanup programs, zoning and utility regulations, clean air issues and invasive species.

The Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois is a member-based, economic development corporation representing Madison and St. Clair counties. For more than 25 years, The Council has worked to attract/retain jobs and stimulate capital investment through its coalition of leaders in business, industry, labor, education and government. These effective partnerships serve as a driving force behind successful economic development efforts in Southwestern Illinois and the metropolitan area. 

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