Where a defendant has transmitted a false statement that damages a company’s reputation to directors and officers of that company, those directors and officers constitute third parties to which the defendant has published the statement for the purposes of defamation.The 1st District Appellate Court reversed and remanded a decision by Cook County Associate Judge James E. Snyder.FourKites Inc. (FourKites) and project44 Inc. (project44) are shipping logistic companies operating out of Chicago in direct competition with one …