Technical committee profile: CPC.

• Author: Heffes, Ellen M.
• Position: Committee on Private Companies

FEI's Committee on Private Companies (CPC) has changed its structure and leadership and is increasing its activities as it strives to represent the needs of approximately 48 percent of FEI members who work for private and closely held companies. Over the past two years--and under the supervision of FEI staff liaison Bob Shepler, based in FEI's Washington, D.C., office--the committee has stepped-up its advocacy activities and downsized its meeting schedule to include two larger and highly-focused meetings per year, (from four in previous years).

The committee's volunteer chairman is FEI Chicago Chapter member James Atkinson, who is CFO of Ariel Capital Management, a mutual fund and separate client investment advisor in Chicago that concentrates its investment selection on undervalued small and medium-sized companies. Atkinson began his involvement with CPC about three years ago, and became chairman on July 1, with his tenure to run until June 30, 2005. He was acting chair since last November.

Atkinson says at the first meeting he attended at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, he was made to feel "extraordinarily comfortable." It struck him, as a "special gathering," and one consisting of "some really smart people around the table, from different industries from all over the country." He found it significant that the group decided to come together and cover some key topics for their private-company niche; he immediately became involved.

CPC was established in June 1997 to address the professional needs of those members in private and closely held companies, and to provide a voice for their interests, both within FEI and externally--before appropriate governmental and regulatory bodies.

CPC tracks developments affecting private and closely held companies, promotes information exchange among interested members and oversees the development of programs, products and services that address its constituents. CPC, through its work and communications, is fully integrated with FEI headquarters, FEI's other committees and FEI chapters and members.

Additionally, CPC is authorized to formulate FEI position statements on matters affecting private and closely held companies and communicate those positions to appropriate sources: organizations, government agencies, the academic community and other external interested parties.

The new focus on two larger meetings per year makes CPC unique from the other FEI committees, that each have four annual gatherings. Also...