Ernest Duplessis

Professional Career: A professional career that includes over 25 years of Public Relations, Investor Relations, Government Affairs, Internal/External Strategic Communications and leadership experience spanning both corporate America and the U.S. Military. • Currently a full-time industry lecturer at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Integrated Marketing Communications and runs his own consulting firm, ELD Communications LLC • Retired from corporate America having served in a number of executive positions of increasing responsibility, including: o SVP of Corporate and Government Affairs at Mondelez International in Deerfield, IL o VP of Corporate Communications, Kraft Foods Inc. o VP of Investor Relations, W.W. Grainger o VP of Communications, W.W. Grainger • Retired as a U.S. Navy Commander after 21 years of distinguished service in the military; Education: • Holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Chicago • MS from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Integrated Marketing Communications • BS in Math from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia; Professional Associations: • Member of the Arthur W. Page Society