Conner Joins Board of Trustees

DUBLIN, Ohio, July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption elected Brad Conner to its board of trustees at its June 12 meeting.

Conner is Vice Chairman, Consumer Finance at Citizens Financial Group, a multi-state bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. He is in charge of the company's residential lending, national auto finance, consumer credit card services and student finance businesses. He is a member of CFG's 11-member Executive Management Committee, the company's most senior leadership team. With nearly 25 years of management experience in financial services, Conner has an impressive track record of success in leading consumer finance businesses, including mortgage, home equity and student finance.

"We are so pleased to welcome Brad to our Board," said Rita Soronen, executive director of the Foundation. "He brings great expertise, energy and an incredible personal passion for helping foster care children find permanent, adoptive families, and we believe he will be a wonderful asset in furthering our mission."

"I'm truly excited and honored to serve on the board of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. It's a wonderful organization, and more importantly, we share a true passion for helping kids find forever, adoptive homes. I look forward to playing a meaningful role in helping the Foundation be even more successful in fulfilling its mission," said Conner.

Before joining CFG in June 2008, he was President of JP Morgan Chase & Co.'s Home Equity and Mortgage Home Loan Direct business, headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz. He previously oversaw the combined home equity business of JP Morgan Chase & Co. and Bank One after the companies merged in 2004, and served as CEO of Chase's Education Finance businesses. Conner, a native of St. Louis, has a B.A. and M.B.A. from the University of Arkansas. He is based in Providence, RI. Photo available in the online Newsroom at www.davethomasfoundation.org.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of children waiting in North America's foster care systems. Created by Wendy's(R) founder, Dave Thomas, who was adopted as a child, the Foundation implements result-driven national signature programs, awareness initiatives and advocacy efforts. Visit www.DaveThomasFoundationforAdoption.org or call 800-ASK-DTFA to learn more.