Chicago Tax Partner and Dallas Office Managing Partner Elected to Grant Thornton Partnership Board.

CHICAGO -- Partner-in-Charge of the Long Island Office Re-Elected to Board; Oklahoma Managing Partner Re-Elected as Board Chairman

Brian Lucas, 46, Partner-in-Charge of the Chicago Tax Practice and Lou Grabowsky, 53, Office Managing Partner of the Dallas office, have been elected to the Grant Thornton LLP Partnership Board, while John Desmond, 54, Partner-in-Charge of the Long Island, NY office was re-elected to the Board. Tom Gray, 53, Oklahoma Managing Partner has been re-elected as the Board's Chairman. The Board provides oversight and governance relating to firm-wide partnership matters. The three began their three year term in November 2004.

Currently, Lucas as a Chicago Tax Practice Leader has responsibilities for managing the tax resources in the Domestic, International and Compensation & Benefits areas for the Chicago office. He concentrates his practice in the corporate tax area working with growing public and private companies in the global marketplace.

"I am very honored by my election to the Board, as it has been a highlight of my career thus far at Grant Thornton," says Lucas. "I take this responsibility extremely seriously and look forward to representing the partners and working with this distinguished group of board members."

In addition to his duties as the Managing Partner for the Dallas office, Grabowsky serves as audit engagement partner for several of the Dallas office clients. He is also very active in civic and community affairs serving on the boards of The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas, the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce and the Dallas Summer Musicals as well as being a member of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas.

"I am honored and energized by the opportunity to serve our partnership during this critical timeframe where the profession is literally reinventing itself," says Grabowsky. "In this regard, Grant Thornton is particularly well-positioned to respond to the changing and expanding needs of the international public and private marketplaces."

As the Partner-in-Charge of the Long Island office and an Assurance Partner, Desmond serves as engagement partner for many of the firm's Long Island public and private company clients. This is his second term on the Partnership Board, having previously served from 2001-2004. Desmond is also active in both the local business community and civic affairs. He is a member of St. John's University Council and a member of the Long Island Advisory Board of HSBC Bank as well as the treasurer of the Theodore Roosevelt Council, Boy Scouts of America, Inc. and a director of the Long Island Philharmonic.

"I am extremely proud of the fact that I was re-elected by my peers to once again serve on this esteemed Board," says Desmond.

Lucas has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from DePaul University in Chicago. He is a member of the Illinois CPA Society, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is a technical editor for the AICPA's tax division.

Grabowsky earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University and is a member of the Texas Society of CPA's and the AICPA.

Desmond graduated magna cum laude from St. John's University, where received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He is a member of the AICPA, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and is on the NYSSCPA Long Island Chapter's Committee on Cooperation with Bankers and other Credit Grantors.

Grant Thornton LLP is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International, one of the six global accounting, tax and business advisory organizations. Through member firms in 110 countries, including 49 offices in the United States, the partners of Grant Thornton member firms provide personalized attention and the highest quality service to public and private clients around the globe. Visit Grant Thornton LLP at www.GrantThornton.com.