Lord, Bissell & Brook Attorney To Be Honored by Community for Lifetime Service.

Business Editors/Legal Writers

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 23, 2001

Richard L. Wexler, a senior partner in the real estate practice at the law firm of Lord, Bissell & Brook, has been named as this year's recipient of the 39th Annual Julius Rosenwald Memorial Award. Wexler will receive the award from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago in recognition of his lifetime of service to the Jewish community in Chicago and around the world. The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago addresses the entire spectrum of need in the Jewish community. Since 1900, Federation has worked to provide assistance to more than 300,000 Chicagoans in need.

Honoring the memory of Julius Rosenwald, one of America's first great philanthropists, this award is presented each year to the individual who has achieved the most in the advancement of the goals of the Jewish Federation and for the welfare of the entire Jewish community.

Wexler will be presented with this award at a luncheon at the 2001 Jewish Federation Annual Meeting in Chicago on September 12, 2001, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

As an activist on behalf of the Jewish people, Wexler has served the Jewish community in numerous capacities since 1975.

Wexler served as past president of the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. In addition, he recently served as the national chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, one of the world's premier philanthropies. Wexler also served as chairman of JUF/Federation's Priorities Task Force, chairman of its Jewish education and overall budget and planning committees, treasurer, and as a member of its executive committee and board of directors. He is the recipient of Federation's Young Leadership Award.

An active supporter of Jewish causes, Wexler was president of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry from 1992-95, the main advocacy agency for free immigration for Soviet Jews. He also served as the chairman of the UJA's Operation Exodus Campaign. In addition, he has served UJA as a chairman of budget and campaign planning, national marketing, its Midwest Region and President's Mission.

Also active in the former Council of Jewish Federations, Wexler was chairman of its Task Force on Poverty and Low Income, Planning and Research Department Steering Committee; President's Mission; Campaign Budget and Finance Committee; Marketing Committee; and Task Force on Equitable Collective Responsibility.

On the international level, Wexler has served the Jewish Agency for Israel as co-chair of its Israel Committee, and as a member of its restructuring, strategic planning, and unity of the Jewish people committees. He has also been on its board and executive committee.

For the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which serves two million Jews in nearly 60 countries, Wexler served on its board and executive committee, and received its Ma'Asim Tovim (good deeds) Award.

In addition, Wexler has served on the boards of the Jewish Education Service of North America, National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council, HIAS, the Great Books Foundation and The National Center for the Hebrew Language.

Wexler recently received the first annual Bernard Reisman Article of the Year Award from the Jewish Communal Service Association for his article, "Setting Standards for Volunteer Leadership and the Profession."

Wexler currently lives in Highland Park with his wife, Bobbi.

Founded in 1914, Lord, Bissell & Brook now includes more than 300 lawyers serving national and international clients from offices in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, London, Los Angeles and Rockford, Illinois. For additional information about Lord, Bissell & Brook, contact the firm at 312.443.0700 or visit their Web site at www.lordbissell.com.