CONTACT:
Todd Gillman, President, Sigma Delta Chi Foundation 202/661-8421 or TGillman@dallasnews.com
Terry Harper, Executive Director, Society of Professional Journalists 317/927-8000 or tharper@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS-The Sigma Delta Chi Foundation (SDX) of the Society of Professional Journalists announces the election of Ruth Ann Harnisch to the board of directors. Harnisch is president of the Harnisch Family Foundation which was founded in 1998 with assets of $10 million.

Thrillionaires.org,a project of the Harnisch Family Foundation, encourages people to discover the thrill of giving their money, time, skills, ideas and other assets to the causes they care about. The Website posts stories of personal philanthropy.

Harnisch is Chair Emerita of the Board of Directors of More Than Money, a national nonprofit helping top wealth-holders match their money to their values. She currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Team of More Than Money's quarterly journal, to which she also contributes articles. Harnisch also is a certified professional coach who serves as treasurer of the Board of Governors of the International Association of Coaches.

Starting out as a teen deejay in her native Buffalo, N.Y., she spent three decades in media work, including Emmy-nominated television reporting and anchoring at the CBS-TV affiliate in Nashville, Tenn., a daily talk-radio program on WLAC-AM, and 17 years as a columnist for the Nashville Banner.

SDX Foundation board of directors vice president Betsy Ashton said, "Ruth Ann Harnisch has a wealth of print and broadcast journalistic experience and sufficient heart, means, talent, and persuasive powers to single-handedly spark a major impact on the profession. She is a great addition to the foundation's board of directors."

"I am so pleased that Ruth Ann has agreed to join the Foundation. Our profession faces all sorts of challenges, and it takes people of talent and commitment like hers to fight the good fight," said Todd Gillman, SDX Foundation president.

"My work as a journalist gave me a big news flash - EVERYBODY DIES," said Harnisch. "And some people continue to have an impact even after they die. Most journalists I know got into the business to make a difference. Foundations allow us to make a difference today, and to have influence long after somebody writes our obit."