Mike Benjamin has been named the 2008 chairman of the Desert Research Institute Research Foundation. In addition, two trustees have joined the board; Hal Lenox, President AT&T Nevada and Roberto Denis, Senior Vice President for Energy Supply at Sierra Pacific Resources.

Mike has been an active and generous member of our board since 2004 and I really look forward to his leadership. Mike has a tough act to follow in Ken Ladd, who dedicated an incredible amount of time to DRI in spite of his hectic travel schedule running U.S. Bank in Nevada and other parts of the west. I'm also grateful for the talents that both Hal and Roberto bring to a remarkable foundation board.

Benjamin, from Las Vegas, is the CEO and president of Benjamin Enterprises, a consortium of companies involved in gaming, land development, retail investing and marketing consulting. Lenox, from Reno, was named President of AT&T Nevada in September, 2006. Denis, from Las Vegas, joined Sierra Pacific Resources in August 2003.

The DRI Research Foundation plays a critical role in providing funding in support of the institute's mission. I'm very proud of the caliber of people who make up our board. We receive much, much more than financial support from this group that always comprises many of Nevada's leading citizens.

The officers for 2008 include: Benjamin, Chair; Dan Barnett, Vice Chair; Marlene Wheeler, Vice Chair; Dave Clark, Treasurer; Terry Van Noy, Secretary. The executive committee members include: Ladd, Immediate Past Chair; Tom E. Gallagher, Finance Committee Chair; Nazir Ansari, Trusteeship Committee Chair; Jeff Shaw, Audit Committee Chair and myself, ex officio.