Jeanette Lewis Named Associate Regional Director for Examinations in the SEC's Midwest Regional Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2004-72

Washington, D.C., May 26, 2004 - The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today the selection of Jeannette L. Lewis as Associate Regional Director for Examinations in the Commission's Midwest Regional Office (MRO). Ms. Lewis began her employment with the MRO in 1988 as a staff attorney in the MRO's Enforcement group. She was promoted to Branch Chief and then Assistant Director in Enforcement before she assumed her current position in 1999 as Senior Special Counsel on the examination side of the Regional Office. In her new position, Ms. Lewis will direct a staff of accountants and examiners that conduct inspections of investment advisers, investment companies and transfer agents throughout the Midwest.

While serving as an attorney and manager in the MRO's Enforcement program, Ms. Lewis was responsible for the filing of numerous high profile enforcement actions. Under her direction, the Commission brought two cases of first impression in the investment adviser and investment company area involving (1) a portfolio manager front-running his personal transactions before the execution of transactions in the portfolios of investment companies and client accounts that he managed (In the Matter of Roger Honour); and (2) an investment adviser that failed to disclose the large impact hot initial public offerings had on its performance (In the Matter of Van Kampen Investment Advisory Corp).

As Senior Special Counsel in the MRO's examination program, she provided legal advice to the region's examination staff and oversaw the development of several important and novel cases involving investment companies and investment advisers, including the Commission's actions against Heartland Advisors Inc., Heartland Group's independent directors and its outside pricing service, FT Interactive Data. More recently, Ms. Lewis has played a critical role in the Commission's investigations into mutual fund market timing and late trading.

Riley Brissman, MRO's Senior Associate Regional Director for Examinations, said, "Jeannie has been a major force in the MRO's efforts to protect investors during her tenure in the regional office. She has taken on the tough cases and poured long hours into them, always with successful results. She brings energy, tenacity and vision to the examination program at an important time."

Lori A. Richards, Director of the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations in Washington, D.C., added, "Jeannie brings a wealth of knowledge about investment companies and advisers, as well as keen investigative instincts and examination expertise, to the job. She's an outstanding leader and a real asset for investors in the region."

Ms. Lewis received a BA degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign - Urbana in 1985 and a JD degree from Loyola University of Chicago Law School in 1988.