Columbia’s board of trustees has named three prominent business leaders with strong ties to their communities as its newest members. The appointments of Lester N. Coney, Chester T. Kamin, and Paul R. Knapp this fall follow the election of two new trustees in May: Susan V. Downing and Barry M. Sabloff.

Lester N. Coney is executive vice president in the office of the chairman of Mesirow Financial, where he facilitates new business opportunities and maintains client relationships across several lines of business. He is board president of the DuSable Museum of African American History and founding chairman of the board of Congo Square Theatre. He also serves on the boards of several cultural and service organizations and has received numerous awards and honors for his work in community service and business leadership.

Chester T. Kamin, J.D., is a senior partner at Jenner & Block, LLP, where he has a business litigation practice that includes antitrust, intellectual property, real estate, and financial institutions litigation. Kamin has served on a number of charitable boards including Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Committee on Illinois Government, An Alliance for Action, and Sherwood Conservatory of Music. Kamin teaches at the University of Chicago Law School.

Paul R. Knapp is a senior executive with DST Systems, Inc., a publicly held, New York Stock Exchange-listed corporation offering information processing and computer software services to corporate and institutional customers. Knapp serves on the Local School Council for William B. Ogden Elementary School and is president of the board of Friends of Ogden. He is a member of the board and treasurer of Chicago’s TimeLine Theatre, and a supporter of many Chicago arts, political, and community activities, including a four-year college funding program for students in the Philippines through Children International.