Caterpillar recently announced that Gail D. Fosler, senior vice president and chief economist of the conference board, was named to the Caterpillar Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2003.

Fosler directs the conference board’s worldwide economics research program, which produces the widely watched leading economic indicators, the consumer confidence index, the help-wanted index and the business confidence index. With a worldwide perspective on economic issues, Fosler’s unit generates leading economic indicators for the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Caterpillar Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Glen Barton said, "Gail Fosler brings a wealth of knowledge and global view of economic trends to the Caterpillar board. We expect to benefit from her insight as a leading forecaster and advisor."

In addition to Caterpillar, Fosler is a director of Unisys Corporation, H.B. Fuller Company, Baxter International and the DBS Holdings (Singapore). She is a trustee of the John Hancock Mutual Funds. Fosler also is a director of the Institute of Public Administration, the National Association of Business Economics and the National Economists Club. Before joining the conference board in 1989, Fosler was chief economist and deputy staff director of the Senate Budget Committee.