Humane Society of the United States Appoints Wayne Pacelle as Chief Executive Officer-Designate

4/26/2004

From: Nicholas Braden of the Humane Society of the United States, 301-258-3072 or nbraden@hsus.org

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation's largest animal protection organization, today named Wayne Pacelle as its new leader and Chief Executive Officer - Designate. Pacelle will fully assume the executive leadership of the Society after a brief transition period.

"I am pleased to announce that The Humane Society of the United States has named a dynamic, aggressive, and visionary leader to direct our domestic and global efforts to protect animals, to halt animal cruelty and abuse, and to protect their habitats," said David O. Wiebers, M.D., HSUS chair of the Board of Directors and a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "Wayne Pacelle has long been one of the nation's leading advocates of social reforms to benefit animals, and our Board of Directors recognized that we need a leader of his determination and inspiration in facing the challenges of the 21st century."

A senior vice president for The HSUS for the last 10 years, Pacelle has been instrumental in helping pass more than a dozen new federal laws to protect animals, more than 15 statewide ballot initiatives, and countless laws at the state level. From toughening up laws for animal cruelty and animal fighting to outlawing the use of steel-jawed leghold traps and bear baiting to banning cruel industrial farming practices, Pacelle has led an unprecedented effort to protect millions of animals. He has helped to secure millions in federal dollars for enforcement of federal laws to protect animals in the United States and abroad.

"The HSUS will continue to focus on protecting companion animals and wildlife, but we will make aggressive and unprecedented efforts to halt institutional forms of animal abuse, including the mistreatment of animals on industrial factory farms," said Pacelle. "In order to succeed, we need the participation of millions of Americans in our cause to root out suffering and abuse. I want to invite every American who cares about animals to join with us in pursuing our important mission."

Pacelle joined the organization 10 years ago as vice president for government affairs and media and was promoted to senior vice president for communications and government affairs in 1998. He is the organization's leading spokesperson and has led a wide variety of campaigns for The HSUS. Pacelle previously served as executive director of The Fund for Animals, the national advocacy group founded by author Cleveland Amory. He graduated from Yale University in 1987 and is a native of New Haven, Conn.

The HSUS board of directors voted late Friday to appoint Pacelle to the position being vacated by Paul G. Irwin, who was asked by the board of directors to stay on beyond his planned retirement in 2002.

"Paul Irwin has helped to build The Humane Society of the United States into the most influential animal advocacy organization in the world," said Dr. Wiebers. "One of every 40 Americans is a direct supporter of The HSUS thanks to his leadership. We could not be more grateful to Paul for his extraordinary and expansive leadership." Irwin joined The HSUS in 1976, and took over as president in 1992.

"Protecting animals has not only been a personal passion, but a moral imperative," stated Irwin. "I could not be more proud of the work of The Humane Society of the United States in halting cruelty and exploitation across the globe. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to lead the organization for the past 14 years and to serve it in various other capacities for 28 years. I will continue to stay engaged with the issues we address because they represent the core issues of humane and sustainable life on this planet."

Pacelle will announce other senior leadership changes in the organization in the coming weeks.

The Humane Society of the United States represents more than eight million members and constituents and has an annual budget in excess of $80 million. The organization has a staff of nearly 300 people working in the Washington area and in 10 regional offices across the country and in a number of offices throughout the world. The HSUS maintains active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research, farm animals and sustainable agriculture, and national and international humane education and environmental protection. The group is marking its 50th anniversary in 2004.