Together, Ridge and Glazer led NOD in becoming the foremost partner to corporate America in ensuring more employment opportunities for people with disabilities
NEW YORK (June 1, 2022) – Governor Tom Ridge and Carol Glazer, who together served as the longtime chairman and president, respectively, of the National Organization on Disability (NOD) will leave their positions with NOD after 16 years of service. The announcement was made by Luke Visconti, founder and chairman of DiversityInc and vice chairman of the NOD Board of Directors. Visconti will succeed Governor Ridge as chairman effective immediately and will preside over the July meeting of the NOD Board.
Governor Ridge, who was elected chairman in 2006, will continue to serve on the NOD Board of Directors in the role of chairman emeritus. Glazer, who first joined NOD as a consultant in 2006 and was named president in 2009, will be retiring from full-time work. She has committed to remain president until her successor is in place. NOD has hired the California-based firm The 360 Group to lead a national search for NOD’s next president.
“A 16-year partnership such as the one between Tom and Carol is incredibly rare, and all of us in the disability community are the beneficiaries of their shared vision, their passion and their singular focus on expanding workplace opportunities for people with disabilities,” said Visconti. “I will be forever grateful to Governor Ridge for inviting me into NOD and sharing his wisdom about leadership and service. We both are stroke survivors, giving us a clearer picture of the challenges people with disabilities face each day. His strength and determination throughout his rehab have been an inspiration, and I am delighted he will remain on the board so that we all can continue to benefit from his depth of knowledge on so many issues.
“Carol Glazer has been exactly the leader NOD needed since she first arrived on the scene 16 years ago. After the death of NOD founder Alan Reich, many wondered if NOD would survive. Carol ensured not only that NOD would survive, but it would flourish – soon becoming a trusted partner to dozens of FORTUNE 500 companies who need assistance in growing their disability workforce. Carol has assembled a talented and creative staff that is effectively leading NOD into our 40th year of service. I want to thank Carol for insisting she stays in her current position as president until we have hired a successor to ensure we don’t miss a beat.”
Together, Governor Ridge and Carol Glazer, in partnership with a renowned Board of Directors and talented staff, led NOD in becoming the foremost partner to corporate America to ensure more employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Now celebrating its 40th year, NOD helps some of the world’s more recognized brands be more competitive in today’s global economy by building or enriching their disability inclusion programs.
“Ensuring that people with disabilities have access to equal employment opportunities isn’t only about civil rights,” said Governor Ridge. “America’s success in the world depends on how well we inspire and put to use the talents and energies of every person in this country. I spoke those words shortly after NOD founder Alan Reich first asked me to serve as chair. That sentiment has driven Carol and me forward every day since. I am incredibly proud of the work NOD has accomplished to advance employment opportunities for Americans with disabilities and look forward to continuing that work with my talented colleagues on the NOD board. We will miss Carol very much but know that her legacy – her unwavering commitment to make certain we are using the talents of all individuals – will continue to propel us forward.”
Carol Glazer said never once in her many years of working with Governor Ridge did she take their partnership for granted. “I’m coming to the twilight of an extraordinary career journey in which I’ve had the honor and privilege of working with one true hero after another in public life and in business,” said Glazer. “There is no one that compares to Tom Ridge. He is a national treasure, someone who has devoted his entire life to public service and always with the utmost of integrity, love of people, and a deep sense of what moves and drives those with whom he comes in contact. Most of all, Governor Ridge has a deep commitment to leaving this world in a much better place than when he entered it.
“So, I will miss Governor Ridge dearly, but I’ll also miss the men and women of NOD; the remarkable professionals who work with such passion and dedication behind the scenes every day in order that people with disabilities have access to employment and a better future. They are largely responsible for our successes and will ensure a smooth transition to our next leader.”
About National Organization on Disability (NOD)
The National Organization on Disability (NOD) is a private, non-profit organization that seeks to increase employment opportunities for the 80-percent of working age Americans with disabilities who are not employed. To achieve this goal, NOD offers a suite of employment solutions, tailored to meet leading companies’ workforce needs. NOD has helped some of the world’s most recognized brands be more competitive in today’s global economy by building or enriching their disability inclusion programs. For more information about NOD and how its professional services, Leadership Council and Employment Tracker™ can help your business, visit www.NOD.org.