Noted Educator Robert "Bud" Spillane To Lead The CNA Corporation's Education Center

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA — Robert Murray, president of CNA (CNA), today announced that noted educator Robert "Bud" Spillane has been named director of CNA's Education Center. Spillane will join CNA on March 1, 2006.

"Bud Spillane's exceptional career history and his national reputation as an educator and innovator in school administration make him a huge asset for CNA," Murray said. "His leadership will help our Education Center continue and expand our work to improve education in America. We're very much looking forward to Bud joining our education team."

Spillane's professional experience includes positions as an elementary and secondary school teacher and administrator, assistant superintendent, and superintendent as well as deputy commissioner of education for New York State. He is currently regional education officer for Europe in the U.S. State Department's Office of Overseas Schools. From 1985-1997, Spillane was superintendent of public schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, and from 1981-1985 served as superintendent of schools in Boston, Massachusetts.

"One can't overstate the value that objective, impartial research and analysis brings to the broad range of efforts to address America’s educational needs," Spillane said. "I’m looking forward to working with the research professionals of CNA's Education Center to bring that value to school improvement initiatives nationwide."

Spillane began his career in 1956 as a teacher in elementary and secondary schools in Storrs, Connecticut. He then was a principal for elementary and secondary schools in Chaplin, and Trumbull, Connecticut, and then served as assistant school superintendent in Darien, Connecticut.

Spillane has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the 1997 Washingtonian Magazine "Washingtonian of the Year Award," the 1995 American Association of School Administrators "Superintendent of the Year Award," and the 1995 Education Press Association "Newsmaker of the Year Award." Spillane holds a B.S. from Eastern Connecticut State College, Willimantic, Connecticut, and earned an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.