In his new position, Stern will be responsible for overseeing the corporation's legal function and will participate as a member of the company's senior leadership team. Stern joins the company after 15 years with Foley & Lardner LLP of Milwaukee where he was a partner, providing legal services and advice for a wide range of public and private companies. His practice focused on acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and other business combinations; in addition, he provided outside counsel on general legal matters. Prior to joining Foley & Lardner, Stern was an associate with Latham & Watkins LLP of Chicago, Ill., from 1989 until 1992. He also served as a law clerk under Pasco M.Bowman, II, senior judge for the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in Kansas City, Mo. Stern received his bachelor's degree in 1985 from the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind., and earned his law degree in 1988 from the Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago.