Minnesota Medical Foundation Names CEO, President(July 25, 2006) -- Elizabeth A. Malkerson has been named president and chief executive officer by the board of trustees of the Minnesota Medical Foundation, effective August 28, 2006. Malkerson will work with the board to implement the foundation¿s strategic goals, including increasing sustained philanthropy from $55 million in fiscal year 2006 to $100 million annually within five years.Beth Erickson, Minnesota Medical Foundation board chair, commented, ¿Becky Malkerson is the right person at the right time in the foundation¿s history. She will help us build on our current momentum while advancing us toward the realization of our long-term strategic goals.¿ Malkerson is currently senior vice president, corporate marketing and communications, at Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, a primary company of Munich-based Allianz AG, one of the largest global insurance and financial services organizations in the world. In her four years there, she developed the corporate brand for Allianz Life, increasing brand identity by 20 percent in two years. During that same time period she also doubled the size of the Allianz corporate giving and community programs. Prior to joining Allianz Life, Malkerson served as vice president, worldwide corporate communications, at the world¿s largest biotechnology company, Amgen, Inc., in Thousand Oaks, Calif. While there, she delivered the best media coverage in the history of the company and launched Amgen¿s first-ever celebrity-driven, direct-to-consumer campaigns. From 1996 to 1999 Malkerson was vice president and senior communications officer at UnitedHealth Group in Minnetonka, where she managed the new identity and brand strategy for the company as well as development of a public television series, Health Diary, which was carried in 80 percent of the major U.S. markets. Malkerson also worked for U.S. Bancorp in Minneapolis, serving in her last six years there as senior vice president, corporate relations. John M. Murphy Jr., vice chair of the Minnesota Medical Foundation board of trustees and chair of the search committee that recommended Malkerson, stated, ¿We are very fortunate to have attracted someone of Becky¿s caliber to the foundation. I have known Becky for more than 20 years and am convinced she has what it takes to advance the foundation to the next level.¿ Malkerson is well known in the Twin Cities area for her community service and professional activities. She currently serves on three local boards: University of Minnesota Physicians Clinical Practice, University of Minnesota Physicians Assurance Company, Ltd., and University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. She is also vice chair of the board of directors of the Public Affairs Council in Washington, D.C., and will become its president in 2007. According to Frank B. Cerra, senior vice president for health sciences at the University of Minnesota, ¿Becky Malkerson clearly understands the importance of community involvement and private support. She has provided outstanding service to the University community, including as board member of the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center in the mid-90s. I look forward to working with her over the next several years to increase private support for the University¿s health-related research, education, and service.¿ A native Minnesotan, Malkerson received a B.A. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation¿s oldest and largest academic honor society. Gifts to the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health and Medical School are accepted by the Minnesota Medical Foundation, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the University of Minnesota. Contact: Sara E. Buss |