NEW YORK, NY – September 26, 2001 – W. P. Carey & Co. LLC (NYSE:WPC), a leading real estate investment banking firm and lessor of net leased corporate properties, announced today the appointment of C. Curtis Ritter as Vice President in the Company's Marketing, Investor Relations and Communications Group.
Wm. Polk Carey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of W. P. Carey, said, "Curt has become an integral part of the W. P. Carey team. With years of experience in the public relations arena, he has the expertise and understanding of which communications strategies work best. W. P. Carey is stronger than ever and this is the message we want investors and companies to consider when thinking about W. P. Carey. With Curt at the helm of our Communications Group, I am confident that our message will continue to come across loud and clear."
Mr. Ritter joined W. P. Carey & Co. in 2001. Prior to joining the firm, he was First Deputy Press Secretary to New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. In this capacity, Mr. Ritter served as the Mayor's spokesperson on issues of economic development and finance. He was also responsible for responding to breaking news, as well as for coordinating press conferences and media interviews for the Mayor. Prior to his service in the Mayor's Office, from 1994 through 1997, Mr. Ritter served as a Senior Account Executive at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide in the Financial Services Division. In this role, Mr. Ritter advised clients on developing and strengthening their corporate image through strategic media interviews and press events. He is a recipient of the Big Apple Award from the Public Relations Society of America. Mr. Ritter earned a BA in Broadcast/ Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Telecommunications at Arizona State University in 1994.
As of June 30, 2001, the W. P. Carey Group had a diversified portfolio including 414 properties, net-leased to 213 tenants throughout the United States and Europe. W. P. Carey & Co. LLC and its affiliates specialize in corporate real estate financing through the corporate net lease, or sale-leaseback structure. The largest publicly traded limited-liability company in the world, W. P. Carey was founded in 1973, and owns and manages more than 46 million square feet of property in the United States and Europe. The $3 billion firm is headquartered in Manhattan and has offices in London and Paris. Additional information is available on the firm's website: www.wpcarey.com
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws. A number of factors could cause the company's actual results, performance or achievement to differ materially from those anticipated. Among those risks, trends and uncertainties are the general economic climate; the supply of and demand for office and industrial properties; interest rate levels; the availability of financing; and other risks associated with the acquisition and ownership of properties, including risks that the tenants will not pay rent, or that costs may be greater than anticipated. For further information on factors that could impact the company, reference is made to the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.