IPA's Managing Director Receives Leadership Award

Buffalo Grove, IL, January 14, 2009 --(PR.com)-- IPA’s Managing Director, John Burgess, was the recipient of the 2009 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Excellence in Leadership Award presented Saturday, January 10 at the 41st annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembrance and Celebration Dinner.

“John Burgess has the brilliance of W.E.B. DuBois, the eloquence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the toughness of Thurgood Marshall and the caring spirit of Harriet Tubman,” said Reverend Dr. Clyde H. Brooks, Founder, President and CEO of the Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations (ICDHR).

Burgess was not only the recipient of the award, but was also the event’s keynote speaker.

In addition to dinner, the annual event included a silent auction, an award and scholarship presentation and live entertainment provided by the Soul Children of Chicago. The event was held at the Chicago Hilton and Towers Hotel and sponsored by the ICDHR.

Mayor Richard M. Daley served as the event’s honorary chair, while Brooks served as sponsor. Merri Dee, President of Merri Dee Communications, and Marion Brooks, Anchor for NBC 5 Chicago, acted as co-emcees. The event was also co-chaired by Terry AnCel, President of Hayes Mechanical, and Gregg M. Steinberg, President of IPA.

The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. dinner, originally started in 1971, celebrates the life and contributions of Dr. King. Since 1971, speakers from all over the nation and the world have participated in the event. The dinner has served to honor individuals, businesses and organizations who continue to promote the ideals held high by Dr. King.

The ICDHR is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization. The organization provides programs and services which address conflicts across racial and cultural lines, identify resources needed to address causes for human relations disparities and involve public and private sector leaders in creating “best practice” models that affect human relation policy. The ICDHR believes that one of the most important bridges for mankind to cross is improving our relationship with each other. The organization works with business, religious, government and community sectors, which are key partners in ICDHR’s mission. Furthermore, the organization has an active Board of Directors representing the business, education and religious communities. Its staff and volunteers are some of the most dedicated and qualified human relations building professionals in the nation.

Burgess is the key founder and managing director of IPA. Prior to founding IPA, Burgess was a commodities trader with the Chicago Board of Trade, practiced law and was an executive with a management consulting firm. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Roger Williams College in Providence, Rhode Island and a Juris Doctor from the New England College of Law in Boston.

IPA, the largest privately held management consulting and professional services firm for small and medium size businesses in North America, is a leading authority on small business. With annual revenues in excess of $200 million since 2005, IPA is the 6th largest management consulting company in Chicago and the 61st largest consulting company in the world. IPA offers a wide range of proven and innovative methodologies to help businesses grow and prosper. IPA and its alliance partners, including IBA, ITA, AAL and IPA A&I, provide comprehensive business advisory services and tax strategies to companies in the United States, Canada and other locations worldwide. Additional information is immediately available by visiting http://www.ipa-c.com, http://www.iba-c.com, http://www.ita-c.com, http://www.aal-c.com and http://www.ipa-ai.com. The Public Relations Department may be contacted at: telephone (847) 495-6786; facsimile (847) 495-6773.

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