Nicole Lapin, Anchor of CNBC's Worldwide Exchange, to Serve as Emcee of Michael Lynch Memorial Foundation Dinner

Event Draws Strong Support From Corporate Community

NEW YORK, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michael Lynch Memorial Foundation, a scholarship program that has provided more than $1.6 million in grants to enable children of firefighters and other victims of the September 11 attacks and other fires and disasters to afford higher education, today announced that CNBC Worldwide Exchange anchor Nicole Lapin will serve as the Master of Ceremonies at the Foundation's annual dinner.  The event will be held on Monday, March 28, 2011 at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan.

Nicole currently anchors "Worldwide Exchange," the only global show on CNBC, which airs in the United States, Europe and Asia. She reports live daily on breaking global financial news, macroeconomic trends and stock market gyrations. She also contributes to NBC's "Today Show;" MSNBC's "Morning Joe," "Daily Rundown," and "Jansing & Co;" and Golf's "Morning Drive." Nicole writes on business topics for the Huffington Post and CNBC.com.   Previously, Nicole was an anchor at CNN based in Atlanta where she reported breaking news coverage on prominent national and international stories including the Virginia Tech shootings, the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, the Mumbai terror attacks, the Hudson River plane crash and the 2008 presidential election. Nicole also interviewed CEOs, celebrities and politicians including an extended sit-down interview with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the thick of the state's 2009 budget crisis. Additionally, Nicole wrote a weekly column for CNN.com. Prior to joining CNN, Nicole worked as a business and technology reporter for First Business Network on the floor of the major stock exchanges in Chicago. Nicole began her career as a general assignment and investigative reporter at local CBS affiliates in Palm Springs, CA; Lexington, KY; and Sioux Falls, SD.  Nicole studied European Union politics at L'Institut d'Études Politique de Paris. Nicole graduated summa cum laude and as valedictorian of her class from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, also earning honors for a second major in political science. Nicole also serves as a global ambassador for the children's charity Operation Smile.

"We are delighted that Nicole has so graciously agreed to serve as emcee for the upcoming Foundation Dinner," said Jack Lynch, Michael Lynch's father.  "Nicole has strong and deep roots in the community and is widely recognized for her incredible generosity and support for worthy causes like the Lynch Foundation."  

The Michael Lynch Memorial Foundation began in response to a terrible tragedy -- the loss of Michael Lynch, a son, brother, fiance, uncle and New York City firefighter, who sacrificed his own life on September 11 in an effort to save others.  Facing the ultimate loss, the Lynch family saw an opportunity to help finance the education of young people as a living tribute to the human spirit and the family's collective resolve to respond to adversity with courage, strength, compassion and hope.  The goal of the Foundation is to provide the means to help change the world, one person at a time, by building a vision for the future where the students of today become tomorrow's stewards of peace and freedom.

"We have already received a tremendous outpouring of financial support from the business community for this worthy cause.  With Nicole's involvement and Paul Raether of KKR as the Honorary Chair, the Foundation Dinner will be a huge success," said Jonathan Henes, the Honorary Chair of last year's Annual Dinner and the co-lead of this year's Chairman's Committee.  "The funds raised in connection with the Annual Dinner directly benefit the children of the men and women of the New York City fire department who risk their lives every day to assure that our lives are safe."

Details about the Michael Lynch Memorial Foundation and the Annual Dinner on March 28, 2011 are available online at www.mlynch.org.

Contact:

Media: Michael Freitag, Kekst and Company, 212-521-4800

Or Kate Slaasted, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 312-862-2890

For all other inquiries, contact the Foundation Dinner Coordinator:

Maureen Baker, 908-391-4167, [email protected]

SOURCE The Michael Lynch Memorial Foundation