Joan Steel

Joan Steel’s successful career encompasses investment management, investor relations, global branding and marketing. She started her career at Salomon Brothers as an institutional fixed income broker. After several years on Wall Street she joined her family’s water treatment chemical business where she focused on the management of operations for this national manufacturer and distributor. Ms. Steel then pioneered business reporting on Chicago public television WTTW-TV as a freelance on-air journalist.

From that position, Ms. Steel was recruited by Aon Corporation (NYSE: AOC) to develop and lead global investor and media relations and was elected a corporate officer by Aon’s board. Her responsibilities expanded to include the launch and management of Aon’s global brand including the roll-up of hundreds of company names into the single Aon name and integration of marketing, media and communications worldwide.

Following Aon, Ms. Steel served as a senior vice president and personal investment counselor at Capital Guardian Trust where she originated and managed approximately $750 million in assets for a select number of private clients. She served as a frequent spokesperson and company representative at wealth management conferences around the world and as a director of Capital’s private trust company in Nevada.

In 2009 she founded and now manages Alpha Wealth Advisors LLC. providing investment and philanthropic advisory and strategic planning for family offices, foundations and endowments.

Ms. Steel is a Director and Audit Committee member of the Hershey Trust Company, a $11 billion private trust company with a uniquely complex governance structure involving controlling interest in a NYSE company, oversight of private investments in entertainment and resort companies and fiduciary responsibilities for the Milton Hershey School, a residential K-12th grade school for underprivileged children. She is also a Manager (Trustee) of the School.

Ms. Steel is also a Trustee of Loyola University Chicago and Chairs the Investment Policy Committee with investment oversight of the University’s endowment and other pools of assets totaling $1 billion. She is a long-serving Trustee of WTTW (Chicago public television and radio) and Director and Treasurer of The Cuneo Foundation.

Additionally, she serves on the Professional Advisory Committee for The Chicago Community Trust and is a long standing member of the Chicago History Museum’s Making History Awards Committee. She co- chairs the Rush Medical Center Arthritis and Orthopedic Leadership Committee. Ms. Steel is a member and former director of: The Committee of 200, Economic Club of Chicago; The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Executives Club of Chicago. She is also a member of The Chicago Network; Women Investment Professionals; National Association of Corporate Directors; Women Corporate Directors and Chicago Estate Planning Council.

Ms. Steel resides in Chicago and has a University of Chicago MBA and a BS from Georgetown University.