The National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) today announced that its board of directors has unanimously elected Nancy Humphries as CEO-elect and president effective July 7.

Humphries, 56, will succeed Louis Thompson, Jr., who announced his plans to retire earlier this year after 24 years of service.

Humphries will join NIRI’s board of directors and will become CEO after a transition period of 60 days.

Humphries served as the corporate officer responsible for investor relations and financial communications at BellSouth Corp. from 1991 to 2002, having started her career there in 1972.

She was a member of NIRI’s board of directors from 1999 to 2003.

“Nancy is superbly qualified to take NIRI to the next phase of our organization’s development and lead us in addressing new and evolving issues in the practice of investor relations,” said NIRI Chairwoman Maureen Wolff-Reid.

Humphries said, “I am honored to be joining NIRI, the world’s leading professional organization for investor relations. In collaboration with the board of directors and with the support of the NIRI staff, I am confident that we will continue to increase NIRI’s relevance to our members in an investing marketplace that is undergoing rapid and profound change.”

Humphries began her career at BellSouth in 1972 as a management trainee. After a series of promotions with increasing responsibility, including assignments in operations, strategic planning and human resources she was named vice president of investor relations in 1991. In that position she was responsible for defining financial and communication policy and strategy, as well as the implementation of an integrated investor relations and corporate financial communications program. In recognition of her contributions to the company’s performance, Humphries was elected a corporate officer by Bell South’s board of directors in 1998.

Humphries received her Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Columbia College, Columbia, South Carolina. She is a past vice-chair of the Investor Relations Council for the Manufacturers Alliance and a past chair for the Global Council of Investor Relations Executives at The Conference Board. Her prior involvement with NIRI included the presidency of NIRI’s Atlanta Chapter and service as co-chair of the NIRI Annual Conference in 2003.