Alexandria, Va. — The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) announces that James T. Markus of Markus Williams Young & Zimmermann LLC (Denver) has been selected by the ABI Board of Directors to be President for 2012-13. He succeeds Geoffrey L. Berman of Development Specialists, Inc. (Los Angeles) and will serve a one-year term, which began at ABI’s Annual Spring Meeting, held April 19-22, 2012, in Washington, D.C. An ABI member since 1994, Markus has served as ABI’s Vice President–Education, is the founder and past chair of ABI’s Rocky Mountain Bankruptcy Conference and has been a frequent speaker at ABI conferences. Markus is a co-founder and member of Markus Williams Young & Zimmermann LLC, and is certified by the American Board of Certification as a Business Bankruptcy Specialist. His practice focuses on representation of secured creditors, lessors, asset purchasers, official committees, debtors and trustees in commercial transactions, distressed debt transactions, workouts, restructurings, and chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Markus is also a former director, president, and chairman of the American Board of Certification, and is a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. Named a Colorado Super Lawyer in bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights, Markus is also a founding board member and past chapter president of the Turnaround Management Association's Rocky Mountain Chapter. He received his B.S.E. in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his J.D. from University of Michigan Law School. For a complete list of ABI’s officers and directors, please visit: http://www.abiworld.org/Content/NavigationMenu/About_ABI/Board_of_Directors/Board_of_Directors.htm ### ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes more than 12,600 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abiworld.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abiworld.org/conferences.html.