Alan Bernon Joins Big Brothers Big Sisters of America's Board of Directors

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alan Bernon, an accomplished business and civic leader, has accepted an appointment to become a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America's Board of Directors.

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Since 2008, he has served as Senior Advisor and President of the Affiliate Division of Dairy Farmers of America, the nation's largest milk marketing cooperative and a leading dairy foods processor. In addition, he is a founding partner and member of the Advisory Committee of Sequel Holdings, a Dallas-based private equity firm.

"The national board and I are delighted and fortunate that Alan has volunteered to commit to serve Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in such an important role," said Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and Chief Executive Officer Charles Pierson.  "His vast business acumen and experience will provide the board a welcome and fresh perspective as we embark on our strategic direction to provide safe one-to-one professionally supported mentoring services to help many more children in the U.S. overcome adversity to succeed in school and life."

Bernon began his career working in the family business, Garelick Farms based in Franklin, Mass. Founded in 1931 by his grandfather, Alan and his brother expanded the company and developed Garelick into a leading milk brand in New England. The Franklin facility is the country's largest fluid milk processor. In addition, they founded Franklin Plastics and expanded it to more than a dozen facilities producing plastic containers for milk, juice and water products. When the brothers sold the businesses to Suiza Foods (predecessor to Dean Foods Company), Bernon retained his position as President of Garelick Farms and became Chief Operating Officer of the Northeast Region of Dean Foods before eventually assuming the role of President of the Dairy Group of Dean.  He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Dean Foods from 1997 (when his businesses were acquired) until 2008 when he left the company.  In his various roles there, Bernon was significantly involved in several strategic growth initiatives and acquisitions, contributing to the growth of Dean Foods.

In addition to his business responsibilities, Bernon has spent the past three decades deeply involved in a variety of community and philanthropic organizations. He has served as a director of more than a dozen nonprofits related to education, youth services, and medical research. Currently he is a Trustee of his alma mater Hofstra University, and is a member of the Dean's Advisory Board of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Bernon has been the recipient of numerous awards for his community service, including those given by the YMCA, the Lion's Club and the Brain Tumor Society. In addition, he has received the Alumnus of the Year Award from Hofstra University and was honored by Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston for 25 years of service.

He received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance and economics from Hofstra. He and his wife, Carol, have three children and reside in Dallas.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, holds itself accountable for children in its program to achieve measurable outcomes, such as educational success; avoidance of risky behaviors; and higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships.  Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and others in the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children ("Littles") with screened volunteer mentors ("Bigs") and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course.  The first-ever Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Summary, released in 2012, substantiates that its mentoring programs have proven, positive academic, socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth, areas linked to high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness.

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity, often those of single or low-income households or families where a parent is incarcerated or serving in the military, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.  This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization's 100-year history.  With about 350 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves nearly 630,000 children, volunteers and families. Learn how you can positively impact a child's life, donate or volunteer at BigBrothersBigSisters.org or LatinoBigs.org.

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters