Alexander F. Stern named Chairman of the Board of LUNGevity Foundation

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's leading lung cancer-focused organization, today announced that Alexander F. Stern has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors.  Mr. Stern, Chief Operating Officer of Lazard and Chief Executive Officer of its Financial Advisory business, has served as a valuable member of LUNGevity's Board since 2010. The Board is composed of global leaders who lend their expertise, knowledge, and passion to further LUNGevity's work of changing outcomes for people with lung cancer through research, education and support, and vital public policy work.

"Alex will be leading LUNGevity's Board of Directors at an important time for the organization as we strive for an even greater impact for all affected by lung cancer," said Andrea Ferris, President and CEO of LUNGevity Foundation. "His drive, business acumen and vision will ensure that LUNGevity succeeds in broadening our reach to help even more people. We are incredibly grateful that he is championing this cause."

"Having lost my own mother to lung cancer, I know the terrible toll that it takes on a person and their loved ones," said Stern. "I look forward to working with LUNGevity and fellow board members to increase quality of people's lives and to accomplish our vision of creating a world where no one dies of lung cancer."

Stern has served as Chief Operating Officer of Lazard Ltd and Lazard Group since November 2008, and has been the Chief Executive Officer of Financial Advisory since April 2015. Lazard, one of the world's preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms, operates from 43 cities across 27 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Central and South America.

Stern also serves as a member of the Board of Overseers for the School of Engineering and Applied Science of the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from Duke University and received an Masters of Business Administration and a Masters of Science in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

For more information about LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity is the nation's leading lung cancer organization investing in lifesaving, translational research and providing support services and education for patients and caregivers. LUNGevity's goals are three-fold: (1) accelerate research to patients, (2) empower patients to be active participants in their treatment decisions, and (3) remove barriers that patients face in accessing the right treatments.

LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as by providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease. LUNGevity's comprehensive resources include a medically vetted website, a toll-free HELPLine in partnership with CancerCare®, a unique Lung Cancer Navigator app, peer-to-peer mentoring for patients and caregivers (LUNGevity LifeLine), and survivorship conferences. LUNGevity also helps patients find and navigate clinical trials through our Clinical Trial Finder tool, a Clinical Trial Ambassador program, and participation with EmergingMed.

Our vision is a world where no one dies of lung cancer. For more information about LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.

About Lung Cancer in the U.S.

• About 1 in 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime
• More than 222,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year
• About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers
• Lung cancer takes more lives than the next three leading cancers (colorectal, breast, and prostate) combined
• Only 18% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves dramatically

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation