New York, 13th February 2004 Recently elected as member at large to the World ORT Board of Directors, Dr. Conrad Giles will, along with Marla Levine, co-chair the World ORT Federation Advisory Committee. Both seasoned leaders in the North American Jewish community, Giles and Levine have been appointed in an effort to strengthen the relationship between ORT and the Jewish Federations of North America. Active in the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit since 1967, Conrad Connie Giles, served as its president from 1986 to 1989. He was the President of Detroit Men’s ORT from 1980-1982, and Vice President of the American ORT Federation from 1983-1987. At the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, he also served as Chairman of its Executive Committee, President of the Michigan Jewish Conference, the statewide organization of federations and as regional chairman and National Vice chairman of the United Jewish Appeal. Giles became the president of the Council of Jewish Federations in 1996. He served as Co-president of the UJA Federations of North America during the pre-merger period of the United Jewish Communities between 1997-1999, and was elected vice-chairman to the Board of Trustees of the UJC in 2000. Giles served on the board of the American Joint Distribution Committee, and has served as a member of the Board of Governors and Executive Committee of the Jewish Agency for Israel. He is a pediatric ophthalmologist who has been published extensively in professional journals. Also a Member at Large of the World ORT Board of Directors, Marla Levine currently serves as Honorary Vice President of Womens American ORT. She has served as a National Vice President of and as Chairman of Capital Funds and Community Subcommittee. She has served as trustee of the American ORT Federation, the World ORT and Zarem Golde ORT Technical Institute in Chicago and as served as the Womens American ORT representative to the United States Commission for UNESCO and the National Commission on Human Rights. As broad and as deep as Levines experience has been with ORT, it has been paralleled by her activities in the Toledo communities. These activities culminated with her presidency of two major agencies in Toledo; the Toledo Board of Education and the Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo. During her tenure as President of the Federation, she spearheaded a professional community study, which produced a new structure that identifies and provides for the future needs of the communitys citizens and agencies. Levine has twice chaired the Womens Division of the United Jewish Fund. This appointment comes at an exciting time for ORT, as it prepares to celebrate its 125th year. Scheduled for May 1-3, 2004 in New York City, it is the first time in ORTs history that its General Assembly will be held in the United States. The organizations leaders look forward to having the opportunity to thank the American Jewish Community for its ongoing support throughout the years. World ORT Director General Robert Singer expressed his enthusiasm about the appointment. I am extremely happy that one the of the leading lay leaders of the American Jewish community has joined the World ORT Board of Directors, and I see it as part of our ongoing effort to strengthen our relationship with the North American Federation system, and with different Federations around the US, Singer said. As active members of ORT and top leaders in the Jewish community, I am sure that together, Marla Levine and Connie Giles will make a successful team that will help World ORT navigate the future, strengthen our relationship with the North American Jewish community, and ultimately work for the benefit of Jewish people around the world.