Month: March 2016

Did you hear who won the election in Illinois this week? No, not that election. I’m talking about the election for United States Senate. Representative Tammy Duckworth won Illinois’ Democratic Senate primary. She represents Chicago’s northwest suburbs and had been expected to easily defeat her opponent. She will face incumbent, Senator Mark Kirk, in the general election in November.

What has me particularly intrigued about the Illinois senate race is that it will pit – perhaps for the first time in U.S. political history – two people with severe disabilities who are choosing to speak openly about their disability and how it shapes their lives and policy agendas.

Rep. Duckworth is the first female veteran with a disability to serve in Congress. She lost both legs during the Iraq War when the Blackhawk helicopter she was piloting was shot down. Sen. Kirk continues to recover from a massive stroke in 2012. Both Duckworth and Kirk speak candidly about their disabilities and showcase their stories in campaign materials.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

LEADER OF THE ‘CEO FORCE FOR GOOD’ JOINS DISTINGUISHED BOARD

NEW YORK (March 17, 2016) – The National Organization on Disability today announced that Daryl Brewster has been elected to its Board of Directors. The unanimous vote came at NOD’s recent Board of Directors meeting. Mr. Brewster is CEO of CECP: The CEO Force for Good, a coalition of CEOs who believe that societal improvement is an essential measure of business performance.

“In supporting our mission, NOD’s corporate partners distinguish themselves as leaders in diversity and employers of choice for people with disabilities. Few people understand corporate culture better than Daryl Brewster,” said NOD Chairman, Gov. Tom Ridge. “CECP’s mission is to create a better world through business. And NOD helps business connect with talented men and women with disabilities. It’s a great fit. We think Daryl’s talents – including his remarkable leadership at companies such as Kraft, Krispy Kreme and Campbell’s – will be of tremendous value to our team. We are thrilled to welcome him.”

Brewster has nearly 30 years of executive experience in the US and abroad, including as an officer for several Fortune 500 companies, the turnaround CEO of a publicly-traded company, and the head of five multi-billion dollar business units.

He served as President of Kraft’s $6 billion North American Snacks, Confections, Cereal, and Pet portfolio; President of the Planters Specialty Products Company; the turnaround CEO of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc.; and Managing Director of Campbell’s $300 million UK operations. In addition, Daryl served on the board of E*Trade Financial Holding Company and Krispy Kreme, Inc, and currently serves on the board of several privately-held companies.

He also has an extensive background in non-profits, having served on the boards of the American Marketing Association; several colleges & university councils; the Y Alliance; CIFF-Funded MANA (Mother Administered Nutritive Assistance), which is focused on reducing childhood hunger around the world; and the RWJohnson-supported Partnership for Healthy Kids, which is working to decrease childhood obesity in the US.

“The National Organization on Disability plays an important role in today’s society,” said Brewster. “I routinely hear from CEOs about the need for outstanding talent to fill critical vacancies. People with disabilities must be part of that solution, and NOD is doing great work to help make that happen. I’m very much looking forward to joining the Board and helping to push their timely agenda forward.”

NEW YORK (March 9, 2016) – The National Organization on Disability today announced that Brad Hopton has been elected to its Board of Directors. The unanimous vote came at NOD’s Board of Directors meeting. Mr. Hopton is a Partner in Corporate Tax Advisory Services at PwC, where he helped to create the Ability Reveals Itself initiative that is helping to attract talented people with disabilities to the PwC workforce.

“Brad has not only distinguished himself as a leading tax consultant, he has spearheaded efforts inside PwC to create a culture that is laser focused on identifying and hiring skilled employees with disabilities,” said NOD Chairman, Gov. Tom Ridge. “As the parent of a 10-year-old son with Down Syndrome, Brad knows it is critical that companies like PwC create opportunities for talented men and women with disabilities to shine. Brad will play an invaluable role in helping to shape NOD’s agenda and we are delighted to welcome him to our Board.”

Brad leads high-performing, multidimensional teams that are intensely focused on driving value and delivering quality service to some of PwC’s largest multinational clients. His overall responsibilities include the delivery of tax-related consulting, compliance and advisory services, primarily focused on the Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences and Industrial Products industry sectors. He is a published author and speaker on tax issues affecting multinational companies and has organized innovative and thought-provoking roundtables with senior industry executives.

In addition to his client responsibilities, Brad is PwC’s Tax Operations Leader for the New York Metro region, as well as a key partner champion of the Firm’s talent and acquisition strategy under the Ability Reveals Itself initiative that seeks to match talented people with disabilities to job opportunities within PwC.

“When I first learned about the National Organization on Disability and its focus on finding employment opportunities for people with disabilities, I knew I wanted to be a part of that effort,” Hopton said. “At PwC, we are all about identifying and placing talent to better serve our clients. Through that process, we learned just how many people with disabilities already work at PwC and have worked hard to maximize their experience. It has been tremendously rewarding. I am honored to join such a distinguished board and welcome the chance to share my personal and work experiences with others who share my passion for this issue.”

NEW YORK (March 3, 2016) – The National Organization on Disability (NOD) board and staff today welcomed Ilene Moskowitz as the organization’s new Chief External Affairs Officer.

“At the National Organization on Disability, we are helping some of the world’s most recognized brands be more competitive by building their disability inclusion programs,” said NOD President Carol Glazer. “Ilene brings years of experience in corporate marketing and knows how to capture the C-suite’s attention to help shape their agendas. We are delighted to add Ilene’s immense talents to our team.”

In the newly created role of Chief External Affairs Officer, Moskowitz will lead the creation of marketing and communication strategies centered around the mission of NOD, drive strategies to increase corporate partnerships and grow the number of companies using NOD’s professional services, and oversee fundraising to support NOD’s innovation agenda.

Prior to joining NOD, Moskowitz held positions including the Director of Marketing and Sales at Grant Thornton LLP, Americas Marketing Leader for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s Financial Services practice (now PwC), as well as Head of Marketing & Strategic Planning at Bank Leumi USA. More recently, she served as marketing and communications consultant to organizations such as the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the American Lung Association, the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and Harlem Academy in New York, where she lent her talents to marketing and brand strategy and donor cultivation, among other areas. Moskowitz is a graduate of Cornell University and Columbia Business School.

“NOD’s expert professional services add confidence, credibility, momentum, and visibility to companies seeking the benefits of an expanded talent pool and more inclusive workforce,” said Moskowitz. “I am eager to put my many years of experience in corporate marketing to work on behalf of this critically important effort.”