A.I. hires Chitester as dir. of communications

The Appraisal Institute has hired former White House aide Ken Chitester as director of communications. A communications aide in the Clinton White House, Chitester most recently was a public relations consultant with his own firm, Chitester Communications. He previously was vice president and deputy director of midwest public affairs at Hill Knowlton, one of the world's largest communications consultancies. He will report to Appraisal Institute chief executive officer Frederick Grubbe. Chitester brings more than 14 years of public relations and public affairs consulting experience to his new position. An Indianapolis native and journalism graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, Chitester spent six years as an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. He also is the author of "Aboard Air Force One: 200,000 Miles with a White House Aide" (Fithian Press).