Essex Investment Management Company, a Boston- and Evanston-based firm, has elected Nancy Prial to its management committee.

Prial is a portfolio manager for the Essex Small/Micro Cap Growth and Small/Mid Cap Growth strategies, having joined the firm in 2005, and will continue in that role.

She is based at the investment manager’s Evanston, Illinois office, and her appointment as managing principal is effective immediately.

She becomes the fourth member of the management committee, in addition to Stephen Cutler, president, Christopher McConnell, chief executive, and Joseph McNay, chief investment officer.

Essex specializes in growth stock investing on behalf of institutions, mutual funds and high net worth individuals.