Roberta Shields and Susan Whiting to be Honored at Fourth Annual NBA Wives Luncheon

Roberta Shields and Susan Whiting to be Honored at Fourth Annual NBA Wives Luncheon

Luncheon Recognizes Charitable Contributions of the National Basketball Wives Association

NEW YORK, Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fourth Annual NBA Wives Luncheon will honor Roberta Shields, President of The Ludacris Foundation, and Susan Whiting, President and CEO of Nielsen Media Research as "2005 Outstanding Female Role Models." The event, hosted by Jaci Wilson and Morris L. Reid, will take place during the NBA All Star Weekend on Saturday, February 19th at The Oxford Hotel in Denver. The luncheon also pays tribute to the members of The National Basketball Wives Association, Behind the Bench (BtB), who devote a vast amount of their time and money to support charitable organizations nationwide.

This marks the fourth year in a row that Jaci Wilson and Morris L. Reid are hosting this event. Morris L. Reid -- a Clinton Administration official and now managing director of Westin Rinehart -- and his wife, Jaci, are involved in a number of fundraising initiatives throughout the year. Morris' company, Westin Rinehart, is also a sponsor of this year's event. Other sponsors include Gucci Group, Aspen Peak, Maybach, L'Oreal, Nubian Heritage Skin Care, Crabtree & Evelyn, Lalique, Lisan, Meyers Watches, A. Tierney, Vivre, Nielsen Media, Trident, Beringer Wine, Pernod Ricard, Platform Learning, Godiva and GM Collin.

"Roberta and Susan's successful careers and charitable work make them an inspiration to women everywhere. We chose them because they serve as wonderful role models," said Jaci Wilson, host of the NBA Wives Luncheon. "We are also honoring the philanthropic women of The National Basketball Wives Association, Behind the Bench, whose work is often overshadowed by their superstar husbands."

Roberta Shields, mother of music star Ludacris, is a superstar in her own right. She is the President of The Ludacris Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting grassroots organizations focused on the youth of America. Since its conception in 2001, The Ludacris Foundation has donated over $500,000 to support various charities that encourage youth to pursue and achieve their goals. The Ludacris Foundation also provides educationally based scholarships to high-school seniors.

Susan Whiting, President and CEO of Nielsen Media Research, began her career in the management development program at Nielsen Media Research, Ms. Whiting has worked in every aspect of the business, successfully moving up to President and CEO of the company. In addition, she serves as a Board Member for VNU's Media Measurement and Information Group, is a member of the Board of Trustees of Chicago's Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and a Member at Large of the Denison University Alumni Council. She is the past president of the Connecticut Women's Forum and former president of the New York Radio and TV Research Council.

About Westin Rinehart

Westin Rinehart is a leading strategic communications consulting firm serving Fortune 500 companies and large organizations. Westin Rinehart devises strategies for safeguarding clients' corporate profiles, establishing relationships with federal, state and local leaders, meeting market challenges and a host of other activities aimed at increasing the bottom-line.

About Behind the Bench (BtB)

NBA wives have applied their good fortune to aid women and children through community service and financial support of multiple charitable programs. Since its establishment in 1993 as a 501C3 organization, BtB has raised substantial funds for charities including: The Boys & Girls Club; Big Brothers / Big Sisters; Special Olympic World Games; St. PJ's Children Home; Child Welfare League of America; Friends of Faith; the Breast Cancer Fund, and many more. Behind the Bench members are wives of both current and retired NBA players.


Source: Westin Rinehart

CONTACT: Susan Blond, Inc., +1-212-333-7728, ext. 105, or
erosenthal@susanblondinc.com, for Westin Rinehart


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