Carl M. Buchholz Named United Way Volunteer of the Year

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter on hand to honor Blank Rome Partner and other United Way volunteers for their Community Impact

PHILADELPHIA, June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania is pleased to honor Carl M. Buchholz, a partner in the Litigation Department at Blank Rome LLP, with the 2011 United Way Volunteer of the Year Award at the annual Champions for Impact awards celebration today, June 9, 2011. The event took place at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, located at 201 N. 17th Street.  Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter delivered remarks at the event, which was emceed by Matt O'Donnell, anchor of 6 ABC's Action News Mornings.

The Volunteer of the Year Award is given in recognition of longstanding leadership, generosity, creativity and passion for helping to strengthen communities through United Way.  Mr. Buchholz has played an instrumental role in establishing the new strategic direction for United Way and establishing the Investing in Results funding strategy, which assures donors that their contributions are making a measurable difference in the community on critical issues facing our region: educating youth, helping families earn sustaining wages, and keeping seniors safe and healthy in their homes.  

"Carl helped transform the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania from a pass through organization into a change agent in our communities; an organization that delivers real results in the areas of education for children, income for families and health for seniors," said Jill Michal, president and CEO of United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania. "We look to Carl as a tremendous leader and advocate, but most of all as an incredible example of what volunteerism is all about; he is the embodiment of Living United."

Mr. Buchholz has served the United Way in a variety of capacities, including Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Executive Committee, as well as co-Chair of the Alex de Tocqueville Society with his wife, Karen Dougherty Buchholz.  He also serves as member of a number of other boards in the region, including the American Revolution Center, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education, Philadelphia Academies, Inc., the Committee of Seventy, and Pennsylvanians for Effective Government.

"I am honored to be recognized with this award," said Mr. Buchholz. "My wife Karen and I have been longtime supporters of United Way and its mission. It has been extremely fulfilling to help champion the mission of an organization that has deep community roots and makes a lasting, positive impact on the lives it touches."

In addition to Buchholz, United Way will recognize several other community volunteers and corporate partners who have joined the movement to Live United and lead the way to serve their community through United Way. Honorees hail from Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware counties, as well as parts of southern New Jersey, a testament to the breadth United Way has in making a difference in the education, income and health throughout the Delaware Valley, according to Michal.

"The contributions made by our honorees are investments in addressing issues that often prevent people from achieving their goals, and even more importantly, prevent them from ever having goals to begin with," Michal said. "But when we come together, we build a stronger region. Living united doesn't happen within any one zip code; it happens when we all heed the call to action together."

The United Ways of the Delaware Valley, an association of 12 regional United Ways, will present the 2011 John C. Haas Regional Champions Medals to Campbell Soup Company President & CEO Douglas R. Conant and Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Mr. Conant will receive the Distinguished Individual Champion Award for his commitment to corporate social responsibility in Greater Philadelphia, and Enterprise Rent-a-Car will receive the Distinguished Corporate Champion Award for its strong regional commitment to United Way. The medals are named in honor of John C. Haas, one of the founders of the regional United Way association and a highly-respected businessman and philanthropist who passed away earlier this year.

Champions for Impact is United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania's signature event celebrating local donors, advocates and volunteers dedicated to improving education for our children, creating opportunities for families to earn income, and keeping our seniors healthy. This year, the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania raised over $48 million for the community in support of these efforts. Event sponsors include ACE, Blank Rome LLP, CRW Graphics, Ricoh and UPS.

In addition to Mr. Buchholz, award winners are as follows:

LIVE UNITED: Impact in Education – Dr. Lori Shorr, City of Philadelphia

LIVE UNITED: Impact in Income – Khadijah Jones, Campaign for Working Families

LIVE UNITED: Impact in Health – Andrea Devoti, Neighborhood Health Agencies, Inc.

LIVE UNITED: Impact in Basic Need – Alfred Lubrano, Philadelphia Inquirer

LIVE UNITED: Volunteer Award – John Salveson, Salveson Stetson Group, Inc.

LIVE UNITED: Volunteer Award – Lonny Strum, Strum Consulting Group, Inc.

LIVE UNITED: Partners in Caring Award – CRW Graphics

LIVE UNITED: Partners in Corporate Citizenship Award – Dechert LLP

Irv Sannit Labor Volunteer Award – Cathy Brady

2010 Campaign Leadership Award – Joseph A. Frick

Top 2010 Campaign Performances – ACE Group, Comcast Family of Companies, Day & Zimmermann, Drexel University, JEVS Human Services, PECO/Exelon East, Penn's Way, PJM Interconnection, Vanguard and Wells Fargo

Best New Campaign – KeystoneCares

Campaign Cabinet Volunteer of the Year – Christopher L. Bruner, Ernst & Young LLP

Employee Campaign Chairs of the Year – Osvaldo Betancourt, Barbara Valletto and Eloise Young, Philadelphia Gas Works

About United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people's lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measure the results. United Way is advancing the common good in southeastern Pennsylvania by focusing on education for children, income for families and health for seniors. For more information about United Way, please visit: www.LIVEUNITEDsepa.org.

SOURCE United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania