Kathryn Shaw, International Corporate Financial Leader, Takes Helm as Chief Financial Officer of American Bar Association

CHICAGO, Nov. 2, 2009—Kathryn Shaw, former vice president for Siemens Building Technologies, becomes chief financial officer of the American Bar Association.

“Kathryn Shaw has demonstrated leadership and fiscal acumen through her experience heading the financial service operations of an international corporation with 425,000 employees and worldwide revenues of $77 billion.  Her expertise as a strong contributor to a world-scale organization will strengthen the association’s fiscal management and bolster strategic planning to ensure robust financial resources, allowing the ABA to continue leading the legal profession in serving the public, our courts and our major institutions of government, commerce and justice,” said Henry F. White Jr., ABA executive director and chief operating officer.

“I look forward to new challenges and opportunities to serve the public through service to the legal profession in the non-profit world, and especially to helping the American Bar Association continue its sound fiscal management.  It is through strategic planning and management of financial systems that the ABA can grow its finances, enabling it to fulfill its many projects and initiatives serving lawyers and helping lawyers to serve people across the United States and throughout the world.  I am excited to join that effort,” said Shaw.

Shaw, who was affiliated with Siemens for 24 years, is especially adept at business process redesign, helping organizations grow revenue, reduce cost and implement procedures to improve financial strategies for the future, said White.  Her experience on a global level will be especially important as the association continues expanding its activities to serve the needs of U.S. lawyers in a profession that is increasingly engaged around the world, he noted.

Shaw became vice president of finance for SBT West in 2007, after serving two years in a similar capacity for SBT North.  She previously served Siemens as director of finance, director of professional services, director of customer engagement and director of business.  Before joining the electronics, energy and environmental solutions company, she was affiliated with IBM, ROLM and Mobile Oil.

Shaw holds a master’s degree in business administration, concentrating on finance, and a bachelor’s degree in marketing, both from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. She held board member positions with the Michael Joseph Foundation, the Special Olympics and the Northern Illinois University Advisory Board.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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Editor’s Note: For a high-resolution photo of Kathryn Shaw please click here.