James G. Niven Chairman Of Sotheby's The Americas Elected To CASAColumbia Board

NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CASAColumbia® announced today that James G. Niven has been elected to its board of directors.

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Mr. Niven serves as the Chairman of Sotheby's The Americas. He joined Sotheby's in 1996 and previously served as Director of Business Development, Sotheby's New York.  Prior to joining Sotheby's, Mr. Niven worked for Lehman Brothers in the Corporate Finance Division until 1972. He became partner in Pioneer Associates in 1972, and was a director of numerous public companies including AZL Resources, Marline Oil, The Prospect Group, The Noel Group, Simmons Outdoor Corp., Lincoln Snacks, Health Plan Services, Tatham Offshore and Global Natural Resources, of which he was Chairman from 1989 to 1994.

"We are honored to have Jamie join the CASAColumbia board of directors," said Jeffrey B. Lane, CASAColumbia's Chairman.  "Jamie's gravitas and energy serve as an invaluable asset in helping CASAColumbia inform Americans that addiction is a preventable, treatable and perhaps curable disease. He is the perfect addition to our esteemed board to help counsel and shape our future."

"I am very pleased to have been asked to join the board of CASAColumbia. I hope that I will be able to contribute to their efforts in developing solutions to the problems of addiction," said Mr. Niven. "I have been a huge admirer of CASAColumbia since its inception. Much help is needed to reduce addiction in this country and I hope that I can enlarge the family of contributors in this endeavor."

Mr. Niven attended St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, and the Lycee Jaccard in Lausanne, Switzerland. He graduated from Harvard College in 1967.

Mr. Niven has strong ties to the not-for-profit community and is currently a trustee of The Museum of Modern Art (25 years), The Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention (seven years) of which he is the Chairman, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (35 years). He has also served on the Boards of Directors of The Central Park Conservancy, The Children's Aid Society, The Neil A. McConnell Foundation, AMREF, The Parrish Art Museum and The National Center for Learning Disabilities. As an auctioneer at Sotheby's, he volunteers his time at benefit auctions worldwide.

CASAColumbia is a science-based organization focused on developing effective solutions to address the disease of addiction. It is committed to understanding the science of addiction and its implications for health care, public policy and public education.  CASAColumbia informs Americans of the economic and social costs of addiction and risky substance use and its impact on their lives; assesses what works in prevention, treatment and disease management; and encourages every individual and institution to take responsibility to reduce these health problems. Founded in 1992 by Joseph A. Califano, Jr. former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, CASAColumbia strives to provide health care providers, policymakers and individuals with the tools they need to succeed and to remove the stigma of addiction, replacing shame and despair with hope. The only shame in the fight against addiction is indifference. For more information www.casacolumbia.org

SOURCE CASAColumbia