Bonnie W. Gwin Selected as Make-A-Wish Foundation of America Board Chair

PHOENIX, October 30, 2009 — Bonnie W. Gwin, a leading CEO and board recruitment executive, has been named chair of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America (wish.org) Board of Directors.

Gwin succeeds Robert J. Bigler, who completed two one-year terms as chair of the world’s largest wish-granting charity Saturday.

A partner with international executive-search and leadership consulting firm Heidrick & Struggles, Gwin joined the Make-A-Wish® national board in 2005. She became chair of the Governance Committee in 2006 and was chosen as chair-elect in April. Gwin has also been a volunteer leader at the chapter level for the Foundation, serving on the Northeast regional board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

“It’s an honor for me to lead the board of such an incredible organization,” Gwin said. “The Make-A-Wish Foundation brings joy to more than 13,000 children with life-threatening medical conditions each year, and we have ambitious goals to expand our wish-granting efforts to even more children across the country.”

During her more than 11 years with Heidrick & Struggles, Gwin has held a number of leadership positions, including president of the Americas. In addition, she has served as global managing partner for the technology practice and managing partner of its North America Quality Council.

Earlier this month, she was named managing partner of Heidrick & Struggles North American board practice, which assists clients with board of director searches across a wide range of industries.

Prior to joining Heidrick & Struggles, Gwin spent nearly 13 years with the IBM Corporation, where she held a variety of sales, marketing and senior-level management positions.

Gwin has been active in a number of other nonprofit organizations, including JumpStart Inc. and the National First Ladies’ Library Site Committee.

“Bonnie's credentials and passion for the Foundation are outstanding,” said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer. “She has excelled in so many roles within the Foundation already and helped strengthen the organization’s governance model from top to bottom. I am looking forward to working with her in her new position as board chair.”

Gwin holds a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She was a fellow of Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired (DACOR), a Washington D.C.-based organization comprised of retired, former and active Foreign Service Officers and others who have served within capacities related to foreign affairs. Gwin and her family reside in Shaker Heights, Ohio.

About Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 65 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 185,000 wishes in the United States since its inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.