Carol Fulp Appointed President & CEO of The Partnership, Inc.

BOSTON, March 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Partnership, Inc. has appointed Carol Fulp as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. The search was led by Wayne Budd, Senior Counsel of Goodwin Procter LLP and former Chairman of the Board of the Partnership. As a nationally recognized business and civic leader, Fulp is ideally suited to lead The Partnership in the next phase of its evolution. The Partnership's portfolio of services is designed to strengthen the Commonwealth's capacity to attract, retain and develop professionals of color – and in doing so, enhance the competitiveness of the region.

"I am honored to lead The Partnership's efforts to build a world-class workforce. We are at a global economic crossroads in which business growth will depend on diverse experience to compete," said Fulp of her new post. "A workforce that reflects the global economy will position New England as a hub for cutting-edge talent and ultimately spur industry growth." In her new role, Fulp will expand The Partnership's corporate partnerships into emerging and under-represented industries and also grow its operations in New England and beyond.

"Carol's stature, credibility and business acumen will take The Partnership to a new leadership level. The centerpiece of The Partnership's overall strategy is to develop a deep leadership base of professionals of color that not only influences the economic fabric, but also enriches the social and civic life of the region," said Edward Baker-Greene, Chairman of the Board of The Partnership, Inc.

"By choosing Carol, The Partnership reaffirms its deep commitment to attracting and retaining the next generation of leaders. Her experience - as a civic leader, as a business executive and as a representative of the United States to the United Nations - will provide The Partnership with visionary leadership to ensure that Massachusetts continues to excel," said Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick. 

"Employers in Massachusetts are feeling the pressure of workforce competition. In order to attract the best and the brightest to businesses in our state and region, we will need a leader like Carol Fulp. Carol's proven track record in building bridges and successfully navigating multiple constituencies makes her the ideal person to help realize the evolving mission of The Partnership," said Paul Guzzi, President of the Boston Chamber of Commerce.

"As a world class city, Boston must continue to foster innovation, creativity and high levels of productivity by attracting and retaining top talent. Carol has a unique understanding of both private and public enterprise and knows how to get things done with grace and skill," added Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. 

As Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Brand Initiatives at John Hancock Financial, Fulp established a record of turning her vision into action. In her capacity, she oversaw the corporation's $12 million philanthropic giving program and created state-of-the-art initiatives that impacted youth in need. She also established the largest corporate summer jobs program of its kind in the country.  

"We will always be grateful for the leadership Carol provided in helping to build a world class community relations function while at John Hancock, and look forward to working with her in her new role as President and CEO of The Partnership. She shares John Hancock's deep commitment to the City of Boston and Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Just as Carol brought our community relations operation to a new level, we know that she will be able to do the same for the services offered by The Partnership," said Jim Gallagher, Executive Vice President, Government, Public & Community Relations, John Hancock Financial.

Fulp's commitment to civic engagement earned her a key position on President Barack Obama's National Finance Committee as co-chair of its African American Leadership Council. For her efforts to elect our nation's first African American President, Fulp received the Living Legend Award from the Museum of Afro-American History as well as the distinguished Eleanor Roosevelt Award from the Massachusetts Democratic Party. In 2010, President Obama appointed Fulp as Representative of the United States of America to the Sixty-fifth Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Fulp started at John Hancock Financial in 1998. She oversaw civic affairs, corporate giving and special brand strategies for the company. Previously, Fulp was the Director of Community Programming and Human Resources for WCVB-TV. She also served as the Corporate Employee Relations Manager at the Gillette Company.

About The Partnership, Inc.
The Partnership, Inc. was founded 25 years ago and brought to prominence by business executive Benaree Pratt Wiley and most recently led by Dr. Beverly Edgehill. It is Massachusetts' premier organization dedicated to leadership development and talent management solutions for professionals of color. The Partnership improves clients' business performance by providing tailored solutions for professionals of color to tap into their leadership potential; conducting and publishing innovative research into contemporary workplace trends and issues; and, convening thought-leaders to identify and share best practices. Through its mission, The Partnership has become the prominent voice on issues impacting diverse professionals in the corporate, public and civic communities. More than 2,700 professionals of color and 250 leading corporations have engaged The Partnership's services.

SOURCE The Partnership, Inc.